Paramacrolobium

Taxonomy

Paramacrolobium J.J.G. Léonard Bull. Jard. Bot. État 24: 348. Dec 1954.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.70.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Macrolobium.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 1 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 8.5–19(–20) cm long; 2.5–6 cm wide; 0.9–1.5 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; oblong; not inflated; flattened; without beak; tapered at apex; oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; rounded at base; oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit to right angled with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally faintly to clearly visible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin embellished; margin with thickened sutural areas (along the ventral margin); wing(s) absent; stipitate; with the stipe 6–15 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures (initially along the ventral margin). Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; dark reddish brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrous; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; veined, or not veined; obliquely 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; 2-layered; without balsamic vesicles; with fibers; without reniform canals; with fibers oblique over solid layer; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; dark reddish brown; without adhering pieces of testa; septate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 6–7; length transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–4 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; straight. Aril absent.

Seed:13–25 mm long; 10–20 mm wide; 9–10 mm thick; not overgrown; angular; symmetrical; quadrangular; 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; dark brown; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; shagreen; osseous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram present (areola sunken compared to seed margin); 100 %. Fracture lines present; fracture line pattern not specified, in areola and raphe from hilar to basal lens. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe visible. Hilum present; visible; without faboid split; punctiform; apical at apex of radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens discernible; 0.1–5 mm long; with margins curved; elliptic; not in groove of raphe; mounded; same color as testa; not within corona, halo, or rim. 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; barely 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 rudimentary; glabrous.

Distribution

Tropical Africa and in west, Central, and Indian Ocean coastal regions.

Old World; Tropical and coastal Africa and Indian Ocean (coastal regions).

Generic Notes

The seed bears a pleurogramlike demarcation (A pseudopleurogram) near the seed margin. A true pleurogram is a break in the testa, and in the P. coeruleum testa there is no such break. Fracture lines are restricted to the sunken areola.

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.