Neoapaloxylon

Taxonomy

Neoapaloxylon S. Rauschert Taxon 31: 559. 9 Aug 1982.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.30.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Crudia.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 3 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 4–7 cm long; 1.2–2 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; with 1 straight and 1 curved suture; widest at base, or widest near middle or D-shaped; not inflated; flattened; without beak; tapered at apex; oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; tapered at base; oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous; seed chambers externally visible; margin constricted; margin slightly constricted only on 1 margin; margin without sulcus; margin embellished; margin with wing(s); wing(s) present; wing(s) 40 mm wide; wing(s) samaroid; wing(s) basal (wing basal, seed apical); stipitate; with the stipe 6–7 mm long; indehiscent. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; reddish brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrous; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; veined; longitudinally 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; reticulately fibrous throughout; coriaceous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; tan; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; exfoliating (longitudinally tearing into several parrtially united stripes); remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1; length parallel with fruit length. Funiculus 0.1–1 mm long; of 1 length only; flattened; hooked ("right angle curve near apex"). Aril absent.

Seed: 13–19 mm long; 6–8 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; mottled (especially along the margin); black and brown (mottles black); with black overlay; glabrous; not smooth; with recessed features; longitudinally striate (deeply intruded into cotyledons); chartaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; visible; without faboid split; punctiform (within dark red halo); subapical to radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm absent. Cotyledons not smooth; ruminate (and faces locking together); 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; 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; 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

Generic Notes

Apaloxylon E. Drake del Castillo [ 1903] was a later homonym of Apaloxylon B. Renault [1892], a fossil plant, and so could not be used as the correct name for this genus. Rauschert (1982) therefore gave it the new name Neoapaloxylon. Du Puy et al. (2002) added a thrid species to the genus, N. mandrarense Du Puy & Rabev.

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.