Bussea

Taxonomy

Bussea H.A.T. Harms Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 33: 159. 18 Nov 1902.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.1.14.
Tribe: Caesalpinieae.
Group: Peltophorum.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 3 studied; 7 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; (5–)7–30 cm long; 1.2–4 cm wide; 1.5–2 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; symmetrical; linear, or oblanceolate; not inflated; compressed; without beak; long tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; long tapered at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally invisible, or visible; margin not constricted; margin with sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; substipitate; with the stipe 7–8 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures; apical and down and basal and up; active; with valves revolute. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; brown (dark to reddish); with surface texture uniform; glabrate to pubescent and indurate; with hairs erect; with simple hairs; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; not veined; not tuberculate; faintly longitudinally striate; not exfoliating; without cracks; without embedded tissue, much thicker than epicarp, running from base to apex. Mesocarp present; surface not veined; 1-layered; without balsamic vesicles; without fibers; without reniform canals; solid; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; brown (dark); without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1–3; length parallel with fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 2 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; triangular. Aril absent.

Seed: 12–40 mm long; 8–25 mm wide; 5–10 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; oblong; compressed; 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, or glossy; not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome, or mottled; yellowish and dark brown; with brown overlay; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features, or recessed features; rugose; pitted with small separate pits; osseous. 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; 0.1–22 mm long; with curved outline; elliptic; 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; similar at apex; partially concealing radicle; 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; 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

Tropical Africa and Madagascar.

Old World; tropical Africa and Madagascar.
 

Generic Notes

White (1962) reported that seeds of B. massaiensis are cooked and eaten in time of famine.