Cylicodiscus

Taxonomy

Cylicodiscus H.A.T. Harms In Engler et Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. Nachtr. II-IV 1: 192. Aug 1897.

Subfamily: Mimosoideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 2.3.04.
Tribe: Mimoseae.
Group: Newtonia.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 1 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 60–75 cm long; 3.5–4 cm wide; 0.2–0.3 cm thick; more than 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; linear; not inflated; compressed; without beak; rounded at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; short tapered at base; oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous; seed chambers externally invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; nonstipitate; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along 1 suture, or both sutures (dehiscing and reflexing ventrally first, eventually opening along dorsal suture); medial and up and down; active, or passive; with valves occassionally twisting. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull, or glossy; monochrome; brown; with surface texture uniform; pubescent but soon deciduous; with hairs erect; velutinous; with simple hairs; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; faintly veined (after dehiscence of hairs); reticulately veined; not tuberculate; 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; with fibers; without reniform canals; fibrous throughout; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; brown; smooth; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) unknown number; length parallel with fruit length; overlapping; in 1 series. Funiculus ca. 50 mm long; of 1 length only; filiform; S-curved. Aril absent.

Seed: 100–110 mm long; 24–30 mm wide; 1 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; oblong; 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; mottled (occasionally with patches of lighter brown); brown; with light brown overlay; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; rugose; chartaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) present; continuous around seed (2–20 mm wide (20 mm wide at each end)). Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by wing; without faboid split; punctiform (occluded by wing); marginal according to radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm absent. Cotyledons smooth; both outer faces flat; both the same thickness; both more or less of equal length; not folded; margin not entire 180 degrees from base of radicle; wavy; similar at apex; not concealing radicle; notched at 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; straight with embryonic axis; centered between cotyledons. Plumule rudimentary; glabrous.

Distribution

Guineo-Congo forests.

Old World; Africa (Guineo-Congo forests).

Generic Notes

Because of the size of the seed, There is no room in the illustration to depict a X 1 seed drawing in an upper right box. There were not enough fruits available to open even one in order to count its seeds. More fruits should be collected and deposited in herbaria.