Umtiza

Taxonomy

Umtiza T.R. Sim Forest Fl. Cape Good Hope 205. t. 52. 14 Mai 1907.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.04.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Cynometra.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 1 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legumelegume:
usually dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along two longitudinal sutures
; unilocular; 3.5–5 cm long; 0.8–1 cm wide; 0.1–0.4 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; not plicate; not twisted; asymmetrical; oblong; not inflated; compressed; without beak; short long tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; rounded at base; oblique 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 (?); active; with valves separately enrolling. Replum invisible. Epicarp glossy; monochrome; brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrate; with hairs erect; with simple hairs; eglandular; without spines; not smooth; with elevated features; not veined; not tuberculate; obliquely striate; not 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; without fibers; without reniform canals; solid; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; greenish tan; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 1 (near base); length oblique to fruit length. Funiculus 0.1–1 mm long; of 1 length only; flattened (with deltoid base); straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 7–8 mm long; 6–6.5 mm wide; 1.8–2 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; ovate (with truncate base); 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; black; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; rugose; coriaceous. Pleurogram absent. Pseudopleurogram absent. Fracture lines absent. Rim absent. Wing(s) absent. Raphe not visible. Hilum present; fully concealed; concealed by funicular remnant; without faboid split; punctiform; apical at apex of radicle tip; flush; not within corona, halo, or rim. Lens not discernible. Endosperm present; thick; not pluglike and not resembling tip of radicle; adnate to testa. 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; partially concealing radicle (all but tip concealed); with lobes; with lobes touching (auriculate); without 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; centered between cotyledons. Plumule rudimentary; glabrous.

Distribution

South African Cape of Good Hope.

Old World; South Africa (Cape of Good Hope).

Generic Notes

"A very strange genus, placed in this part of the subfamily with some doubt" quoted from Cowan and Polhill (1981a) and confirmed by Ross (1977b). The cotyledon topography is unique in the subfamily. At first glance the cotyledons would appear to be sharply inflexed. This is a false appearance. The cotyledons are auriculate over radicle and bear a U-shaped fold around the radicle area.

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.