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(Last Modified On 9/27/2013)
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(Last Modified On 9/27/2013)
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Genus
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DIPHYSA Jacq.
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Contributor
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Peter S. White
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Synonym
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Diphysa Jacq., Enum. Syst. P1. Carib. 7. 1760. TYPE: D. carthagenensis Jacq.
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Description
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Trees or shrubs, unarmed or with spinescent branches; branchlets, pedicels, and/or calyx glandular viscid in some species. Leaves alternate, imparipinnate, petioled; lateral leaflets opposite, subopposite, or alternate, entire, short petio- luled; stipels absent; stipules small, caducous. Inflorescence of short axillary racemes or fascicles; pedicels solitary at the nodes, jointed below the calyx, each 2-bracteolate. Flowers yellow; hypanthium campanulate, the 5 lobes unequal, the 2 uppermost lobes relatively broad, the 2 lateral lobes equal to these in length but narrower, the lowest lobe narrow, acute, longer than the others; petals yellow, unequal, the standard the longest, the keel petals the shortest, all petals short clawed; the standard reflexed with 2 basal callosites inside, the wing and the keel petals often auriculate; stamens diadelphous, the odd stamen free, the anthers uniform; ovary stipitate, the style glabrous, the stigma small, terminal, ovules many. Fruit distinctively inflated, stipitate, oblong, the pericarp splitting into 2 layers, a papery inflated exocarp and a firm endocarp, the legume thus with a bladder on each side; seeds oblong, compressed, attached near one end.
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Habit
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Trees or shrubs
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Note
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Diphysa is a genus of some 15-18 named species of which perhaps only 1/2 will prove to be distinct (Standley & Steyermark, 1946).
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Distribution
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found from Mexico, where the number of species is greatest, south through Central America to northern South America.
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Note
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Diphysa is readily recognized by its papery, reticulately veined, inflated exocarp, which gives the fruit a bladdery appearance.
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Tag
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Project Name
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