Description:

• Mostly trees, rarely suffrutices
• Leaves paripinnate, stipulate; leaflets sessile, diverse in number, size and shape, normally opposite, in 2-72 pairs, usually covered with obscure translucent dots
• Inflorescence a simple or paniculate raceme, usually terminal, rarely lateral on older branchlets
• Flowers bisexual, ± irregular, completely enclosed in bud by 2 opposite valvate bracteoles, persisting in flower
• Tepals 0 or 1-10, much shorter than bracteoles, free or with 2 or 3 partly united, imbricate, valvate or open in aestivation
• Stamens usually 10, all fertile, alternately long and short, free or shortly united; filaments or tube continuous externally with margin of very short cupular or turbinate calyx tube; mouth of calyx tube with or without a disc formed of obvious or obscure internal glandular swellings
• Ovary oblong or naviculiform, stipitate; style long; stigma small, subcapitate; ovules 5-10
• Pod flat, woody, soon glabrous, oblong or naviculiform, beaked at apex, dehiscing elastically, valves becoming spirally twisted; adaxial suture with a flange-like wing on each side
• Seeds compressed, subsessile
• x = 12 (1 report)

Nomenclature:

• Brachystegia Benth.
  • Bentham: 582 (1865)
  • Brenan: 157 (1967)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 30, confined to tropical Africa
• Southern Africa: Species 1: Brachystegia boehmii Taub., in Botswana