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

Meliaceae - *Cedrela P.Browne

Description :

  • Deciduous trees, monoecious
  • Leaves usually paripinnate; leaflets entire
  • Flowers unisexual, in large branched panicles
  • Calyx variable, lobed almost to base, shallowly dentate, or cup-shaped and split down one side
  • Petals 5, imbricate, adnate for one-third of their length to a long, columnar androgynophore by a median carina (thereby preventing their spreading in open flowers)
  • Stamens 5, free, adnate to androgynophore below; staminodes absent
  • Ovary 5-locular; locules with 6-12 ovules; style-head discoid with glandular stigmatic papillae
  • Fruit a pendulous, thinly or thickly woody, obovoid or claviform, septifragal capsule, opening from apex by 5 valves; columella woody, sharply 5-angled
  • Seeds with a terminal wing, attached by seed-end to apex of columella
  • x = 8, 13 (9, 12) (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

  • *Cedrela P.Browne
    • Browne: 158 (1756)
    • Pennington & Styles: 512 (1975)
    • Styles & White: 43 (1991)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species ± 8 in Neotropics
  • Southern Africa : * Cedrela odorata L. is widely planted in Africa for timber

References:

  • BROWNE, P. 1756. Civil and natural history of Jamaica . Published by the author, London
  • PENNINGTON, T.D. & STYLES, B.T. 1975. A generic monograph of the Meliaceae . Blumea 22
  • STYLES, B.T. & WHITE, F. 1991. Meliaceae . Flora of tropical East Africa . Meliaceae