Pseudoprosopis

Taxonomy

Pseudoprosopis H.A.T. Harms Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 33: 152. 18 Nov 1902.

Subfamily: Mimosoideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 2.3.12.
Tribe: Mimoseae.
Group: Adenanthera.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 3 studied; 4 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legumelegume:
usually dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along two longitudinal sutures
; unilocular; 7–16 cm long; 1–2.2 cm wide; 0.6–1.3 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 to curved; not plicate; not twisted; symmetrical; oblong; not inflated; compressed; without beak; rounded at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; long tapered at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; with the apex and base uniform in texture; ligneous; seed chambers externally invisible; margin not constricted; margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; substipitate; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures; apical and down; active; with valves revolute and breaking (1 valve breaking free at base, remaining attached to sutures). Replum invisible. Epicarp glossy to dull; monochrome; black; with surface texture uniform; pubescent but soon deciduous; with hairs erect; with simple hairs; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; not veined; not tuberculate; faintly obliquely longitudinally striate; checking and 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; with fibers; without reniform canals; fibrous throughout; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; brown to tan (tinged with brown); smooth; without adhering pieces of testa; septate to nonseptate (with tan line between seeds); not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 8–9; length oblique to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 3 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; curved. Aril absent.

Seed: 7–18 mm long; 5–11 mm wide; 3 mm thick; not overgrown; angular; symmetrical; elliptic to rhombic, or circular to quadrangular (sub); 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; brown; glabrous; smooth; coriaceous. Pleurogram present (irregular), or absent (based on immature seeds of P. claessenii (de Wildemann) Gilbert & Boutique); 75 %. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines present (especially along each side of pleurogram). Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; punctiform; subapical to radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens discernible; 0.5–0.7 mm long; with margins straight; triangular; not in groove of raphe; mounded; similar color as testa; lighter than testa; tan (fringed with black); 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 entire 180 degrees from base of radicle; similar at apex; partially 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 slightly deflexed; 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 rudimentary; glabrous.

Distribution

Tropical Africa.

Old World; tropical Africa.