Cathormion

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Cathormion

Description

Shrub armed by spinescent stipules and ramose spines. Leaves bipinnate; Inflorescences composed of pedunculate corymbs. Flowers bisexual, pentamerous, dimorphic. Stamens numerous, united into a tube at the base, merging with the corolla-tube. Ovary solitary, sessile. Seeds with a hard testa, with pleurogram, wingless;

Distribution

Africa present, Australasia, SE Asia present, tropical South America present
About 12 species in tropical and subtropical South America and Africa, and 1 species in the SE Asia/Australia region.

Taxonomy

A genus of uncertain delimitation. Most of the species considered members of Cathormion were formerly referred to Pithecellobium sect. Samanea Benth. []. In a review of the genera of Ingeae [] it was suggested to refer the members of this genus to Albizia because of all the transitions found, from species with indehiscent, segmented pods to species with segmented, dehiscent pods, and species with indistinctly segmented and dehiscent pods. The Asian-Australian species is the only member of the genus with stipular spines and often also axillary spines. Because of the aberrant pollen morphology (Guinet, in litt.) it seems preferable now to consider the genus monotypic, and to refer the African and American species, formerly included in Cathormion, to Albizia.

Citation

Hutch. 1964 – In: Gen. Fl. Pl.: 297
Kosterm. 1954 – In: Bull. Organ. Natuurw. Onderz. Indon.: 11
Burkart 1964 – In: Darwiniana: 428
Brenan & Brummitt 1965 – In: Bol. Soc. Brot.: 192