Cynometra

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Cynometra
Cynometra malaccensis

Cynometra malaccensis

Systematics
Eurosiden I
Order : Fabales (Fabales)
Family : Legumes (Fabaceae)
Subfamily : Carob family (Caesalpinioideae)
Tribe : Detarieae
Genre : Cynometra
Scientific name
Cynometra
L.

Cynometra is a genus in the subfamily of caesalpinioideae (Caesalpinioideae) within the family of the Leguminosae (Fabaceae). The 80 to 90 species are widespread in the tropics.

description

Illustration of Cynometra cauliflora
Foliage shedding in Cynometra cauliflora
Caulifloria in Cynometra cauliflora , flowers and fruit

Appearance and leaves

Cynometra species usually grow as evergreen trees . You are not armed.

The alternate leaves arranged on the branches are divided into a petiole and a leaf blade. The mostly paired pinnate leaf blades contain one to many pairs of opposite pinnate leaves. Very rarely there is only one leaflet. The leaflets are asymmetrical. The stipules fall off early.

Inflorescences and flowers

In panicle or simple racemose inflorescences , some to many flowers are arranged in a spiral on the inflorescence axis. In Cynometra cauliflora there is caulifloria (hence the specific epithet ). The cover sheets are relatively small.

The hermaphrodite flowers are radially symmetrical with a double flower envelope . The four sepals overlap like roof tiles. The five petals are equal to almost the same. There are usually ten stamens available. The stamens are free or almost free and the anthers open with a longitudinal slit. The single carpel , which is more or less long stalked depending on the species, contains only one to four ovules . Depending on the species, the long stylus, which is arranged at the upper end or on the side of the ovary or rarely on the wall of the flower base, ends in a tiny scar.

Fruits and seeds

The legumes are either thickened and remain closed when ripe or are flat, woody and open elastically with two smooth fruit flaps when ripe. Each legume usually contains only one or two seeds. The seeds have a very short funicle and a thin seed coat.

Occurrence

The genus Cynometra has a tropical distribution. 26 to 28 are common in tropical Africa. Ten species are found only in Madagascar . Two species are endemic to the Comoros . About 26 species are distributed from India through Southeast Asia , Indochina , Malesia and Papuasia to Australia and on Pacific islands. In the Neotropic seven species occur from Mexico to Central America as well as on the Caribbean islands and about 16 species are common in South America with a focus on the Amazon region.

Cynometra species thrive in tropical lowland rainforests and swamp forests, often along rivers and in coastal areas or in seasonal dry forests, wooded and scrublands, in thickets, often on white sand. Some species dominate their locations.

Cynometra iripa
Buttress roots and pinnate leaves of Cynometra malaccensis
Illustration of Cynometra spruceana
Cynometra travancorica

Systematics

The genus Cynometra was established in 1753 by Carl von Linné in Species Plantarum , 1, p. 382. Cynometra cauliflora L. was specified as the lectotype species in 1926 by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Percy Wilson in Scientific survey of Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands , p. 363. The genus name Cynometra is derived from the Greek words cyno - for dog and metro - for womb, womb, this refers to the fleshy legumes of some species that are reminiscent of the abdomen of a dog.

The genus Cynometra belongs to the tribe Detarieae in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae within the family of the Fabaceae .

There are 80 to 90 species of Cynometra :

use

The wood of some types (trade names: kekatong, guapinol negro, nganga, baraka, muhimbe) is used in a variety of ways: for example to manufacture ship keels , railway sleepers , floor coverings and wall cladding and it is used as construction wood and firewood. Some Cynometra species are used as shade trees and are good pasture for bees .

The seeds and fruits of Cynometra cauliflora are eaten. Cynometra sessiliflora is one of the tree species that provide copal resin .

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d JH Ross: Flora of Australia , Volume 12, 1998: data sheet at Flora of Australia Online
  2. ↑ a b c d e f data sheet at Legumes of the World by Royal Botanical Gardens Kew.  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Last accessed on February 1, 2014 @1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.kew.org  
  3. ↑ First publication scanned at biodiversitylibrary.org .
  4. ^ Cynometra at Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, accessed February 1, 2014.
  5. ^ Cynometra in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved February 1, 2014 ..
  6. ↑ Species of the genus Cynometra at LegumeWeb - World Database of Legumes (ILDIS), Version 10.1 from November 1, 2005 .
  7. ↑ Entry in ILDIS - World Database of Legumes , Version 10.38 from July 20, 2010.
  8. ↑ Data sheet from Handelshölzer by HG Richter & MJ Dallwitz.

Web links

Commons : Cynometra  - collection of images, videos and audio files