Saraca

Taxonomy

Saraca C. Linnaeus Syst. Nat. ed. 12. 2: 469. 15–31 Oct 1767; 13, 98. 15–31 Oct 1767. 15–31 Oct 1767.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.16.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Hymenostegia.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 8 studied; 8 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legumelegume:
usually dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along two longitudinal sutures
; unilocular; 5–33 cm long; 2–7 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 to curved; not plicate; not twisted; asymmetrical; oblong; not inflated; compressed to terete; without beak; long tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit to oblique with longitudinal axis of fruit; short tapered at base; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit (?); with the apex and base uniform in texture; coriaceous to ligneous; seed chambers externally faintly visible; margin constricted, or not constricted; margin slightly constricted only on 1 margin (ventral margin); margin without sulcus; margin plain; wing(s) absent; stipitate; with the stipe 6–40 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures (initally along ventral margin); active; with valves separately enrolling. Replum invisible. Epicarp nearly glossy; monochrome; reddish brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrous; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; veined; transversely 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 embedded in mealy tissue over solid layer; ligneous to coriaceous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; reddish brown; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 3–10; length parallel with fruit length to transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–2 mm long; of 1 length only; flattened; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 18–75 mm long; 15–30 mm wide; 1–28 mm thick; not overgrown; angular, or not angular; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; oblong, or rhombic, or irregular; 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; monochrome; reddish brown; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; shagreen; coriaceous to chartaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe visible (from hilum to base), or not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; larger than punctiform; 0.1–1.5 mm long; with curved outline; circular (sometimes surrounded by black patch); subapical to radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. 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; entire over radicle; with the interface division terminating at base of radicle; without margins recessed; inner face flat; pubescent on inner face; pubescent around base of radicle. 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

India to China and Malaysia to Celebes.

Old World; India, Indochina, China, and Indonesia and the Philippines.

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.