A revision of four genera of the tribe Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae-Cynometreae in Indomalesia and the Pacific

This revision is largely based on the gross morphology of the plants concerned. Four genera can be distinguished. In order to verify their delimitation also a wood-anatomical study was carried out, which supported their distinction. Furthermore, I tried to gain knowledge about their blastogeny, but this could only be recorded for three species. The genera have been redefined. Two keys to the genera are given, one based on gross morphology, another based on the wood anatomy. Within each genus a key is given to the species. The monotypic genus Schizoscyphus has been transferred to Maniltoa. In all, 28 specific names have been reduced and 34 are maintained; four new species and one new infraspecific taxon have been described. It has appeared that the enigmatic Cynometra polyandra Roxb. must be incorporated in Maniltoa and that Hardwickia pinnata Roxb. should be arranged in Kingiodendron. Otherwise no transfers of species from one genus to another appeared necessary. A full synonymy and description is given of all taxa, with their geographical range and, if available, notes on their ecology. Hutchinson’s opinion that the occurrence of hairs on stamens is a taxonomically important character in generic delimitation, could not be corroborated for the genera treated here. It has sometimes been claimed that the presence of a stipe under the ovary can be used for generic delimitation. Such a classification is not possible since this character varies in Maniltoa in which three species out of fourteen have a sessile ovary. A similar statement can be made about the unilateral fusion of the stipe and ovary base with the receptacle; in a single indubitable species of Cynometra, C. mirabilis, this is the case, in all other species the stipe is free from the receptacle. In Kingiodendron I found that the cotyledons are very strongly folded in the seed.