Barnebydendron

Taxonomy

Barnebydendron J.H. Kirkbride Sida 18: 817. 20 Sep 1999.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.47.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Brownea.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 1 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 11–17 cm long; 3.5–4 cm wide; 0.4–0.6 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 to curved; not plicate; not twisted; asymmetrical (excluding wing); oblong; not inflated; flattened; without beak; tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; tapered at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous; seed chambers externally visible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin embellished; margin with wing(s); wing(s) present; wing(s) 1; wing(s) 0.1–13 mm wide; wing(s) sutural; wing(s) on 1 suture (ventral); substipitate; indehiscent. Replum invisible. Epicarp glossy; monochrome; tannish brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrous; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features, or recessed features; veined; obliquely veined relative to fruit length; not tuberculate; punctate; 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 solid layer; coriaceous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; brown; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1–3; length parallel with fruit length, or transverse to fruit length (transverse according to embryonic axis but parallel according to seed length); neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–0.5 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 18–25 mm long; 14–18 mm wide; 4–5 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; asymmetrical; nearly reniform; compressed (or with 2 flattened sides); 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; blackish brown to reddish brown; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; rugose; coriaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–2 mm long; shape not indicated; apical according to radicle tip but marginal according to seed length; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm absent. 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; completely concealing radicle; notched at radicle and split over radicle; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; inner face flat; glabrous on inner face. Embryonic axis straight; perpendicular 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

Seasonally dry woodland in Central America, Purús basin in southwestern Amazonian Brasil, and Rio de Janeiro.

New World; Central America and South America (Seasonally dry woodland in Central America, Purús basin in southwestern Amazonian Brasil, and Rio de Janeiro); Peru, Brazil, and the Guianas.
 

Generic Notes

Isely (1975) and Barneby (1996) both noted that Phyllocarpus L. Riedel ex E.L.R. Tulasne published in 1843 was a later homonym of Phyllocarpus L. Riedel ex S.L. Endlicher published in 1842, and therefore is illegitimate. Barnebydendron J.H. Kirkbride (1999) was established as an avowed substitute for Phyllocarpus L. Riedel ex E.L.R. Tulasne. Barneby (1996) reviewed the genus, and concluded that it is monotypic with a very unusual distribution, i.e., Central America, the southwestern Amazon, and Rio de Janeiro. He suspected that it was not native to Rio de Janeiro because it is only known from the city's vicinity and that it may have been introduced and become naturalized prior to 1830. Barneby's species count and distribution are used.

Tribal Notes

Tribe Detarieae

Bruneau et al. (2000) carried out extensive phylogenetic analyses of tribes Amherstieae and Detarieae. They concluded that they form a single monophyletic group. Therefore, they supported Polhill's (1995a, 1995b) decision to unite the two tribes.