Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Trees or shrubs ± with spines.

Stems:

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves compound (bipinnate), sometimes reduced or absent. Alternate. Leaflets numerous, opposite or partly alternate; rachis flattened, persistent. Petiolate. Stipules various, minute and scale-like to conspicuous and spinescent.

Flowers: Flowers in axillary racemes. Flowers caesalpinaceous. Pedicels jointed, bracts minute, scale-like, caducous, bracteoles absent. Calyx lobes 5, valvate to narrowly imbricate. Corolla of 5 petals, subequal, except the uppermost usually somewhat modified, usually with a more pronounced claw, spreading. Stamens 10, distinct, alternately longer and shorter. Ovary superior, stipitate; ovules 2–6.

Fruit: Pods flat or turgid; ± constricted between the seeds; indehiscent; with papery or thin and coriaceous valves; acute at both ends. Seeds 1–6; hard; ellipsoid; longitudinally or obliquely arranged.

Ploidy:

Habitat:

Elevation Range: