Talbotiella

Taxonomy

Talbotiella E.G. Baker J. Bot. 52: 2. t. 529. Jan 1914.

Subfamily: Caesalpinioideae.
Phylogenetic Number: 1.4.11.
Tribe: Detarieae.
Group: Hymenostegia.
Species Studied - Species in Genus: 1 studied; 3 in genus.

Description

Fruit: A legumelegume:
usually dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along two longitudinal sutures
; unilocular; 6 cm long; 2.5–4.5 cm wide; 0.4 cm thick; length less than twice as long as width; 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; dolabriform; with 1 straight and 1 curved suture; widest near middle or D-shaped; not inflated; flattened; without beak; long tapered at apex; aligned with longitudinal axis of fruit; rounded at base; slightly 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, or embellished; margin with wing(s); wing(s) present (inconspicuous); wing(s) 1; wing(s) 0.1–0.9 mm wide; wing(s) sutural; wing(s) on 1 suture (ventral); substipitate; with all layers dehiscing; splitting along suture(s). Dehiscence of valves along both sutures (initially along ventral margin); active; with valves separately enrolling. Replum invisible. Epicarp dull; monochrome; greenish brown; with surface texture uniform; glabrate (with scattered golden hairs along margins and sutures); with hairs erect; 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 transverse embedded in mealy tissue over solid layer; ligneous. Endocarp present; visible; dull; opaque; monochrome; tan; without adhering pieces of testa; nonseptate; not exfoliating; remaining fused to mesocarp and epicarp; entire. Seed(s) 2–3; length oblique to fruit length; neither overlapping nor touching; in 1 series. Funiculus 0.1–0.9 mm long; of 1 length only; thick; straight. Aril absent.

Seed: 16–20 mm long; 11–15 mm wide; 3–4 mm thick; not overgrown; not angular; symmetrical; nearly circular; 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 (usually completely absent from studied material); not modified by a bloom; colored; monochrome; dark reddish brown; glabrous; not smooth; with elevated features; rugose; 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; 0.1–1.5 mm long; shaped not stated; apical at apex of radicle tip; slightly recessed; 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; partially concealing radicle (only tip exposed); notched at radicle (and lobes); with lobes; with lobes overlapping (basal groin inconspicuous); 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; centered between cotyledons. Plumule rudimentary; glabrous.

Distribution

Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon.

Old World; Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon).

Generic Notes

"Scarcely distinct from Hymenostegia" (4.10) (Cowan and Polhill, 1981a).

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.