Subfamily: Mimosoideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 2.5.18.
Tribe: Ingeae.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 1 in genus.
Fruit: A legume; unilocular; 10–12 cm long; 1–2 cm wide; 0.5–1 cm thick; 2–9 times longer than wide, or more than 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; 0.5-coiled to 1-coiled; not plicate; not twisted; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; falcate to C-shaped; with both sutures parallelly curved; not inflated; flattened; without beak; rounded at apex to tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; short 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 constricted on 1 margin and slightly constricted on the other margin (constricted along dorsal margin and less so along ventral margin); margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; substipitate to nonstipitate; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves medial and up and down (and recurving along dorsal margin, remaining attached to sutures); passive. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; reddish black to brown, or yellow; with surface texture uniform; densely pubescent and indurate; with hairs erect; with simple hairs; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; not veined; not tuberculate; not exfoliating; without cracks; without embedded tissue, much thicker than epicarp, running from base to apex. Mesocarp absent. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; orange to red; smooth; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; entire. Seed(s) 2–9; length transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 2.3 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; straight to curved, or hooked (near seed). Aril absent.
Seed: 6–7 mm long; 4.5–5 mm wide; 2–3 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; elliptic; 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; black; glabrous; not smooth; with recessed features; shallowly pitted with small separate pits (in areola); osseous. Pleurogram present; 90 %. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; punctiform; subapical to radicle tip (almost apical); flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm absent. Cotyledons smooth; both outer faces flat; 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; with lobes; with lobes overlapping; with basal groin formed by lobes; 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; straight with embryonic axis; centered between cotyledons. Plumule well developed; glabrous.
More seeds and fruits should be collected and distributed to herbaria. Verdcourt (1979) described seeds of Abarema sapindoides (A. Cunningham ex Sweet) A.J.G.H. Kostermans as arillate and regarded P. pruinosum as a synonym of A. sapindoides. The several seeds I studied were not arillate. Nielsen et al. (1983a, 1984) revised the genus, and their species count and distribution are used.
Authors: J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, A.L. Weitzman, M.J. Dallwitz, K.R. Thiele
Content last updated April 2003
Released April 2024 on idtools.org
