Apuleia

Taxonomy

Apuleia C.F.P. von Martius Nom. cons. Flora 20(2) (Beibl.): 123 ('Apuleja'). 21 Nov 1837.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.2.04.
Tribe: Cassieae.
Subtribe: Dialiinae.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 1 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 3–9.6 cm long; 1.4–3.5 cm wide; 0.2–0.4 cm thick; 2–9 times longer than wide; with deciduous androecial sheath; with deciduous corolla; with deciduous calyx; without orifice formed by curving of fruit or fruit segments; straight; not plicate; not twisted; asymmetrical; ovate, or elliptic, or oblong; not inflated; flattened; without beak; long tapered at apex to tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; short tapered at base to rounded at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally faintly visible, or invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin embellished; margin with flange(s) (winglike along ventral suture); wing(s) absent; substipitate; indehiscent. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull to glossy; monochrome; brown, or tan; with surface texture uniform; glabrous to pubescent and indurate; with hairs erect; with simple hairs; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; veined; reticulately veined; not tuberculate; not exfoliating; without cracks; without embedded tissue, much thicker than epicarp, running from base to apex. Mesocarp present; surface not veined; 2-layered; without balsamic vesicles; with fibers; without reniform canals; with fibers over mealy tissue; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; glossy; opaque; monochrome; tan; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1–2; length transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–4 mm long; of 1 length only; filiform; S-curved. Aril absent.

Seed: 7.5–9 mm long; 6–8 mm wide; 2–2.5 mm thick; not overgrown; angular, or not angular; symmetrical; elliptic, or rhombic; flattened; with surface smooth; without visible radicle and cotyledon lobes; without hilar sinus; without umbo on seed faces; without medial ridge on each face. Cuticle not exfoliating; not inflated; not wrinkled. Testa present; without pieces of adhering epicarp; not adhering to endocarp; free from endocarp; glossy; not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome; brown; glabrous; smooth; osseous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present; conspicuous, but absent from the base and apex, longitudinal and reticulate. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; visible, or fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–1 mm long; with angular outline; triangular; subapical to radicle tip; slightly raised, or flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm present; thick; not pluglike and not resembling tip of radicle; adnate to embryo. Cotyledons smooth; both outer faces convex; both the same thickness; both more or less of equal length; not folded; margin entire 180 degrees from base of radicle; similar at apex; partially concealing radicle; with lobes; with lobes not touching; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; inner face flat; glabrous on inner face. Embryonic axis straight; parallel to length of seed; without a joint evident between the radicle and the cotyledons. Radicle differentiated from cotyledon; centered between cotyledons. Plumule rudimentary; glabrous.

Distribution

South America.

New World; South America; Argentina, Peru, Brazil, and the Guianas.