e-Key v<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1710493161203_15690452009222944" data-jodit_selection_marker="start" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>3 - *<span id="jodit_selection_marker_1710493161203_5620263952378093" data-jodit_selection_marker="end" style="line-height: 0; display: none;"></span>Khaya
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Meliaceae - *Khaya A.Juss.

Description:

  • Large trees, monoecious
  • Leaves paripinnate; leaflets entire
  • Flowers unisexual; in large panicles
  • Calyx 4- or 5-lobed almost to base, imbricate
  • Petals 4 or 5, contorted, erect in open flowers
  • Staminal tube urceolate, bearing 8-10 included anthers or antherodes towards apex and terminated by 8-10 suborbicular, emarginate or irregularly lobed, overlapping appendages alternating with anthers or antherodes
  • Disc in male flowers cushion-shaped, fused to base of pistillodes, less conspicuous in female flowers
  • Ovary 4- or 5-locular, each locule with 12-18 ovules; style head discoid with crenulate margin, upper surface with stigmatic ridges
  • Fruit an erect, subglobose, woody, septifragal capsule opening by 4-6 valves from the apex
  • Seeds 8-18 per locule, narrowly winged all round margin
  • x = 10 or 25 (50)

Nomenclature:

  • *Khaya A.Juss.
    • Jussieu: 249 (1830)
    • White & Styles: 287 (1963)
    • Pennington & Styles: 515 (1975)
    • Styles & White: 46 (1991)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global: Species ± 7, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
  • Southern Africa: *Khaya anthotheca (Welw.) C.DC. (= *K. nyasica Baker f.), large forest trees, have been planted successfully

References:

  • JUSSIEU, A. DE. 1830. Mémoire sur le groupe des Méliacées. Mémoires du Muséum Nationale d'Histoire Naturelle 19
  • 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
  • WHITE, F. & STYLES, B.T. 1963. Meliaceae. Flora zambesiaca 2