Gossweilerodendron

Taxonomy

Gossweilerodendron H.A.T. Harms Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 9: 459. f. 9, F-L. 31 Oct 1925.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.28.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Crudia.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 2 studied; 2 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 9.5–17 cm long; 2.5–5 cm wide; 0.5–0.7 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; curved; not plicate; not twisted; asymmetrical; with 1 straight and 1 curved suture; widest at base, or widest near apex (lanceolate to oblong); not inflated; compressed; without beak; nearly tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit to oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; dorsal margin rounded at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous; seed chambers externally visible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin embellished; margin with wing(s); wing(s) present; wing(s) length of wing not given; wing(s) samaroid; wing(s) basal (wing basal, seed apical); stipitate to substipitate; with the stipe 1–15 mm long; indehiscent. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; reddish brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrous; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; veined; more or less longitudinally veined relative to fruit length; not tuberculate; glandular dotted; 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; without adhering pieces of testa; septate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1; length parallel with fruit length. Funiculus 0.1–0.4 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 18–30 mm long; 12–15 mm wide; 7–9 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; black to brown; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; rugose; coriaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; visible; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–1 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; completely concealing radicle; entire over radicle; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; inner face flat; glabrous on inner face. Embryonic axis straight; oblique 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

Gulf of Guinea.

Old World; Africa (Gulf of Guinea).

Generic Notes

The testa is adnate to the endocarp.

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.