Orphanodendron

Taxonomy

Orphanodendron R.C. Barneby & J.W. Grimes Brittonia 42: 249. 27 Dec 1990.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.1.07.
Tribe: Caesalpinieae.
Group: Orphanodendron.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 1 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 10–12 cm long; 3 cm wide; 0.2–0.3 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; oblanceolate; not inflated; compressed; without beak; short tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; tapered at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous (becoming brittle when ripe); seed chambers externally invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; stipitate (calyx persistant); with the stipe 6–10 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures; active; with valves twisting. Replum invisible. Epicarp glossy; monochrome; brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrous; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with recessed features; not veined; not tuberculate; punctate; not exfoliating; with cracks; cracking transverse to fruit length; without embedded tissue, much thicker than epicarp, running from base to apex. Mesocarp absent. Endocarp present; visible; glossy; opaque; mottled; light brown; with mottling over seed chambers; with brown overlay; smooth; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; coriaceous; not exfoliating; entire. Seed(s) 1; length transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 2–4 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 20–25 mm long; 14–17 mm wide; 4–5 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; ovate; compressed; with surface smooth; without visible radicle and cotyledon lobes; without hilar sinus; with 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; light brown; glabrous; smooth; chartaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; without faboid split; punctiform; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens discernible; 28–34 mm long; with margins straight; linear; not in groove of raphe; mounded; same color as testa; light brown; not within corona, halo, or rim. Endosperm absent. Cotyledons smooth; both outer faces flat; both the same thickness; both more or less of equal length; not folded; margin not entire 180 degrees from base of radicle; similar at apex; partially concealing radicle; with lobes; with lobes touching (auriculate); without basal groin formed by lobes; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; tan; inner face flat; glabrous on inner face. Embryonic axis straight; without a joint evident between the radicle and the cotyledons. Radicle differentiated from cotyledon; straight with embryonic axis; centered between cotyledons. Plumule glabrous.

Distribution

Colombia.

New World; South America (Colombia).

Generic Notes

Data were extracted from Barneby and Grimes (1990). Polhill (1994b) assigned this genus to Caesalpinieae, and placed it in its own group.