Ebenus

Taxonomy

Ebenus C. Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 764. 1 Mai 1753.

Subfamily: Faboideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 3.18.07.
Tribe: Hedysareae.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 7 studied; 20 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 0.45–0.6 cm long; 0.3–0.4 cm wide; 0.13–0.2 cm thick; length less than twice as long as width; with deciduous androecial sheath; with deciduous corolla; with persistent calyx; with calyx longer than fruit; without orifice formed by curving of fruit or fruit segments; straight; not plicate; not twisted; symmetrical; oblong, or obovate; not inflated; compressed; without beak; rounded 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; membranous, or fragile, thinner than chartaceous, like Trifolium; seed chambers externally invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin plain; nonstipitate; indehiscent (rupturing at base). Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; tan; with surface texture uniform; pubescent and indurate; with hairs erect; with 1 type of pubescence; tomentose; with pubescence golden; with apical pubescence different from basal pubescence; with apical 3/4 tomentose and basal 1/4 glabrous, or apical 1/2 crinkly tomentose and basal 1/2 densely villose with straight hairs; with simple hairs; pliable; with hair bases plain; 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 absent. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; tan; smooth; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; chartaceous; not exfoliating; remaining fused to epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1(–2); length transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus of 1 length only; filiform; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 2.5–3.2 mm long; 1.8–2 mm wide; 1.6–2 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; asymmetrical; mitaform, or ovate; terete; with surface smooth; with visible radicle and cotyledon lobes; with external groove between radicle and cotyledon lobes; with external groove between radicle and cotyledon lobes same color as testa; 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, or mottled; with frequent mottles; reddish brown, or tan; with black overlay (minute mottles may be present on tan testae); glabrous; smooth, or not smooth; with recessed features; faintly striate, or concaved; coriaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; partially concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; with faboid split; with the lips of the faboid split the same color as the rest of the hilum; punctiform; marginal according to radicle tip, or between cotyledon and radicle lobe; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim, or within halo; halo darker than testa. Lens not discernible, or discernible; with margins curved; circular; not in groove of raphe; adjacent to hilum; 0.2 mm from hilum; mounded; similar color as testa; darker than testa; reddish brown, or tan; not within corona, halo, or rim. Endosperm present; thin; not pluglike and not resembling tip of radicle; covering entire embryo; adnate to testa. 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; not concealing radicle; entire over radicle; without lobes; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; yellow, or tan; inner face flat; glabrous on inner face. Embryonic axis deflexed; oblique to length of seed; without a joint evident between the radicle and the cotyledons. Radicle differentiated from cotyledon; linear; lobe tip straight; deflexed and parallel to cotyledon length; centered between cotyledons; less than 1/2 length of cotyledons. Plumule moderately developed; glabrous.

Distribution

Mediterranean region.

Old World; southern Europe to Mediterranean to Africa to Southwest Asia to India (northern Africa).