Melanoxylum

Taxonomy

Melanoxylum H.W. Schott In K. F. A. von Schreibers, Nachr. Kaiserl. Österr. Naturf. Brasilien 2 (Anhang): 52. 1822.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.1.10.
Tribe: Caesalpinieae.
Group: Peltophorum.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 2 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 1.5–17 cm long; 3–6 cm wide; 0.3–1 cm thick; length less than twice as long as width; 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; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; oblong to oblanceolate, or falcate; with both sutures parallelly curved; not inflated; compressed; without beak; tapered at apex to short tapered at apex; oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; short tapered at base; oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally invisible; margin constricted, or not constricted; margin slightly constricted along both margins; margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; stipitate, or substipitate; with the stipe 0.1–10 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures; medial and up and down; passive. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; brown (blackish); with surface texture uniform; pubescent and indurate; with hairs erect; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; veined; transversely veined relative to fruit length; 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; 1-seeded, winged or septate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1–10 (?); length parallel with fruit length and transverse to fruit length (?); neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1 mm long, or 3 mm long; of 1 length only; flattened; plicate. Aril absent.

Seed: 10–12 mm long; 5–6 mm wide; 3–4 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; ovate; 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; brown (blackish); glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features, or recessed features; rugose and reticulate; pitted with small separate pits; coriaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present; longitudinal (? stated as "short and scattered"). Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe visible. Hilum present; visible, or fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; punctiform; apical at apex of radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm present; thick; not pluglike and not resembling tip of radicle; 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; partially 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; centered between cotyledons. Plumule moderately developed; glabrous.

Distribution

Generic Notes

Contrary to the literature (Schott, 1827; Hutchinson, 1964; Gomes et al., 1978; Polhill and Vidal, 1981; and Watson and Dalwitz, 1983), the seeds of M. brauna are neither winged nor arillate. There is a part of the fruit (endocarp) that is winged, and this is described and illustrated in this bulletin and correctly illustrated (though not described) in Gomes et al., who also discussed the silviculture of the species. The funiculus lies entirely within the winged endocarp, and the seed within this endocarp bears a testa with a hilum.