Scorodophloeus

Taxonomy

Scorodophloeus H.A.T. Harms Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 30: 77. 12 Mar 1901.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.06.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Cynometra.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 2 studied; 2 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legumelegume:
usually dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along two longitudinal sutures
; unilocular; 5.5–13.5 cm long; 3.5–5 cm wide; 0.2–0.5 cm thick; length less than twice as long as width to 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; symmetrical, or asymmetrical; oblong; with 1 straight and 1 curved suture; widest near middle or D-shaped, or widest near apex; not inflated; flattened; without beak; nearly tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; rounded 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 embellished; margin with wing(s); wing(s) present; wing(s) 2; wing(s) 0.1–3 mm wide (best developed in middle); wing(s) sutural; wing(s) on 1 suture (ventral, best developed in middle of fruit); stipitate, or substipitate; with the stipe 6–10 mm long; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures (ventrally at first); active; with valves elasticallly and separately enrolling. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; greenish to reddish tan; with surface texture uniform; pubescent and indurate (scattered golden hairs along sutures, valves glabrous or glabrate); with hairs erect; with simple hairs; 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 embedded in mealy tissue over solid layer; 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) 2; length transverse to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–1 mm long; of 1 length only; flattened; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 20–25 mm long; 14–20 mm wide; 5–6 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; elliptic to circular; flattened; 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 reddish brown; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; rugose (when dry); chartaceous. 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; larger than punctiform; 0.1–2.5 mm long; not stated; apical at apex of 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; long split over 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

Gulf of Guinea and East Africa coast.

Old World; East Africa (Gulf of Guinea and coast).

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.