e-Key v3 - *Toona
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Meliaceae - *Toona M.Roem.

Description :

  • Trees, deciduous or semi-evergreen, monoecious
  • Leaves paripinnate; leaflets entire or toothed
  • Flowers unisexual; in large panicles
  • Sepals free or partly united
  • Petals 5, imbricate, adnate at the base by a median carina to the short cushion-shaped androgynophore
  • Stamens 5, free, arising on androgynophore; 1-5 thread-like staminodes sometimes present
  • Ovary 5-locular; locules with 6-10 ovules; style head discoid with glandular stigmatic papillae
  • Fruit a pendulous, thinly woody, ellipsoid or obovoid, septifragal capsule, opening from apex by 5 valves, columella softly woody
  • Seeds winged at one or both ends
  • x = 14 (13) (aneuploids, polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • *Toona M.Roem.
    • Roemer: 131, 139 (1846)
    • Pennington & Styles: 512 (1975)
    • Styles & White: 45 (1991)
  • Cedrela P.Browne sect. Toona Endl.
    • Endlicher: 1055 (1840)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 2 or more in Old World
  • Southern Africa : * Toona ciliata M.Roem. planted for timber and ornament, becoming naturalised in eastern parts

References:

  • ENDLICHER, E.L. 1840. Genera plantarum . Vol. 2. Beck, Wien
  • PENNINGTON, T.D. & STYLES, B.T. 1975. A generic monograph of the Meliaceae . Blumea 22
  • ROEMER, M.J. 1846. Familiarum naturalium regni vegetabilis synopses monographicae . Vol. 1. Landes-Industrie-Comptoir, Weimar
  • STYLES, B.T. & WHITE, F. 1991. Meliaceae . Flora of tropical East Africa . Meliaceae