Berlinia

Taxonomy

Berlinia D.C. Solander ex J.D. Hooker In W. J. Hooker, Niger Fl. 326. Nov-Dec 1849.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.64.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Berlinia.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 7 studied; ca. 18 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 6–40 cm long; 2.5–14 cm wide; 0.5–1.4 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 to curved; not plicate; not twisted; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; oblong, or falcate; with both sutures parallelly curved; not inflated; compressed; without beak; long tapered at apex to tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; tapered at base to rounded at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit to right angled with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin embellished; margin with thickened sutural areas and flange(s) (up to 10 mm wide on each valve, thinner on dorsal margin); wing(s) absent; stipitate to substipitate; with the stipe 6–40 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures; apical and down; active; with valves elastically and separately enrolling. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; dark brown, or tan; with surface texture uniform; densely velvety brown pubescent and indurate, or pubescent and indurate; with hairs erect; eglandular; without spines; smooth, or not smooth; with elevated features; veined; longitudinally veined relative to fruit length, or reticulately veined (or 1 prominent logitudinal vein giving rise to oblique veination); not tuberculate; scurfy; not exfoliating; without cracks; without embedded tissue, much thicker than epicarp, running from base to apex. Mesocarp present; surface not veined; 3-layered; without balsamic vesicles; with fibers; without reniform canals; with solid layer over fibers over solid layer; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome, or mottled; tannish brown; with mottling above and below seed chambers; with tan overlay to white overlay; smooth and spongy (smooth below seeds, tan and spongy around seeds); without adhering pieces of testa; subseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 2–5; length oblique to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–2 mm long; of 1 length only; flattened; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 15–70 mm long; 15–60 mm wide; 5–20 mm thick; not overgrown; angular, or not angular; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; ovate to oblong, or quadrangular, or irregular; compressed to 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; dull; not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome; brown to tan; glabrous; smooth, or not smooth; with elevated features; shagreen; osseous to coriaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present, or absent; fracture line pattern not indicated. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–12 mm long; with curved outline; elliptic; apical at apex of radicle tip to subapical to radicle tip; 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, or not entire 180 degrees from base of radicle (wavy); similar at apex; completely concealing radicle; split over radicle; with lobes; with lobes overlapping; with basal groin formed by lobes, or without basal groin formed by lobes; 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 well developed; glabrous.

Distribution

Guineo-Congolian forests east to coast of Africa.

Old World; Africa (Guineo-Congolian forests east to coast).
 

Generic Notes

Mackinder (2000) is currently studying this genus. She has concluded that it is monophyletic and that its sister genis is Isoberlinia (1.4.64). Her species count is 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.