Gilletiodendron

Taxonomy

Gilletiodendron F.M.C. Vermoesen Man. Ess. For. Congo Belge 85. 1923.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.38.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Detarium.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 3 studied; 5 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 2.5–6.5 cm long; 1.5–3.5 cm wide; 0.3–0.5 cm thick; length less than twice as long as width to 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, or asymmetrical; elliptic, or oblong to obovate; with 1 straight and 1 curved suture; widest near middle or D-shaped; not inflated; flattened; without beak; tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; tapered at base to rounded at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous to ligneous; seed chambers externally visible, or invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; substipitate to nonstipitate (nearly); with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along 1 suture, or both sutures (ventral). Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; blackish brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrous; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features, or recessed features; not veined; not tuberculate; glandular dotted; glandularly punctate; not exfoliating; without cracks, or with cracks (in G. kisantuense); cracking oblique to fruit length; 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 solid or over mealy tissue; ligneous to coriaceous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; brown to reddish brown; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1–2; length oblique to fruit length to transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–2 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; straight. Aril present (absent in G. kisantuense); dry; when dry shape not stated but the apex is indicated to have acute or obtuse lobes which may be erect or reflexed; entire; covering less than 1/2 of seed (degree of coverage not stated).

Seed: 11–23 mm long; 6.5–17 mm wide; 3–4 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; not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome; dark reddish brown; glabrous; smooth; osseous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present; transversely reticulate. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; visible, or fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–0.5 mm long; with curved outline; elliptic; subapical to radicle tip; recessed; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens discernible; 0.1–0.5 mm long; with margins straight; linear; not in groove of raphe; mounded; similar color as testa; darker than testa; not within corona, halo, or rim. 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, or notched at radicle (only); 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 to oblique 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

Guineo-Congolian forest.

Old World; Africa (Guineo-Congolian forest).

Generic Notes

During soaking, Seeds of G. kisantuense exuded a thin white tissue from a hole in the cotyledons formed in the radicle notch.

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.