Swartzia
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Authority
Cowan, Richard S. 1967. Swartzia (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae Swartzieae). Fl. Neotrop. Monogr. 1: 3-228. (Published by NYBG Press)
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Family
Fabaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
Type species. Swartzia alata Willdenow [nom. illeg. = S. guianensis (Aublet) Urban, Symb. Antill. 5: 365. 1908.]
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Synonyms
Possira, Tounatea Aubl., Rittera, Hoelzelia Neck., Riveria, Fairchildia, Swartzia alata Willd.
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Description
Description - Shrubs, trees, or lianas; stipules present, sometimes minute or obscured by pubescence, caducous to long-persistent, triangular, acicular, lanceolate, elliptic, oval, ovate, sometimes obviously foliaceous; leaves imparipinnate, 1-31-foliolate, the petiole and rachis strongly alate to slightly marginate to canaliculate to terete, often stipellate at the insertion of the opposite leaflets (alternate in one species); leaflets mostly petiolulate, at least shortly, the petiolules transversely wrinkled, somewhat swollen, the blades often smaller near the base of the leaves; inflorescences racemose to panicled-racemose, cauligerous, ramigerous, ramuligerous, axillary, or supra-aaxillary, borne singly or in fascicles, the bracts subtending pedicels which sometimes bear paired bracteoles; pedicels terete, strongly compressed laterally, or clavate, the buds globose, elliptic, ovate, or lanceolate in outline; calyx segments 2-5, not apparent in bud, smooth or verruculose externally, glabrous to densely pubescent on the inner surfaces; one petal present or absent, rarely a relict of a second petal present, mostly with a distinct claw, the blade rounded, oval, ovate, elliptic, or oblate, often rounded to cordate basally, the veins frequently colored at least externally; stamens dimorphic, the larger ones 2-ca 25, the filaments longer and broader, the anthers larger than in the numerous smaller stamens; gynoecium composed of 1-3 pistils, the stigma obtuse, capitellate, or punctiform, the style usually present and either terminal or lateral, the ovary oval, lanceolate, fusiform, linear, narrowly oblong, pluri-ovulate, the gynophore obvious, arising from the center of the torus; fruit one-several-seeded, oval, moniliform, flattened, rounded, the surface smooth, finely tessellate, strongly ridged, or verruculose; seed more or less oval with the seed coat crustose or chartaceous, usually arillate, the aril white, yellow, or red.