Labichea

Taxonomy

Labichea C. Gaudichaud-Beaupré ex de Candolle Prodr. 2: 507. Nov (med.) [C] 1825.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.2.19.
Tribe: Cassieae.
Subtribe: Labicheinae.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 4 studied; 9 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 2.5–3 cm long; 0.8–1.1 cm wide; 0.3–0.4 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; asymmetrical; lanceolate to oblong; not inflated; compressed; without beak; long tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; rounded at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally visible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; substipitate; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures; apical and down; active; with valves twisting. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; brown; with surface texture uniform; pubescent and indurate (especially on margins), or glabrate; with hairs erect; with simple hairs; eglandular; without spines; smooth; not veined; not tuberculate; 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; tan; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate (in 1-seeded fruits), or subseptate (in 2-seeded fruits by line of hairs or chartaceous tissue); not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1–2; length oblique to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–1 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; triangular. Aril present (strawcolored); fleshy (?); when fleshy spherical with prominent apical depression (with prominent apical depression, up to 2.5 mm diam); entire; covering less than 1/2 of seed (?).

Seed: 4.5–5 mm long; 3.5–4 mm wide; 2–2.5 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; elliptic to cordate; 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; glossy; not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome, or mottled (with dark brown over tan); brown, or tan; with black overlay, or brown overlay; glabrous; smooth; osseous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present; prominent and longitudinal, or reticulate (inconspicuous). Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by aril, or aril remnant; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–0.5 mm long; with curved outline; circular; apical at apex of radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens discernible; 0.1–1.5 mm long; with margins curved; elliptic; not in groove of raphe; flush; same color as testa, or similar color as testa; darker than testa; not within corona, halo, or rim. Endosperm present; thick; not pluglike and not resembling tip of radicle; adnate to embryo. 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; with lobes (1 lobe auriculate over radicle because radicle oblique to seed length); with lobes not touching; 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 rudimentary; glabrous.

Distribution

Australia.

Old World; Australia.

Generic Notes

Bentham (1864) described the "seeds with a testa marked with longitudinal rows of glandular dots, and becoming swollen and pulpy when soaked".