28 
CAESALPINIACEAE 
Trees, shrubs or herbs, sometimes spiny. Stipules present; stipellae absent. Leaves alternate, 
compound or rarely simple. Flowers generally perfect, mostly zygomorphic. Hypanthium 
sometimes present. Sepals mostly 5, rarely 4, free or partly united, imbricate or rarely valvate. 
Petals 5 rarely fewer, often unequal, clawed, imbricate. Stamens 10 or fewer, free or rarely connate 
(in Tamarindus), sometimes some of them staminodial, alike or variously heteromorphic; anthers 
basifixed or dorsifixed, opening lengthwise or by apical pores. Ovary superior, usually stipitate; 
carpel 1, unilocular; a single style and stigma. Fruit a legume, mostly dry, dehiscent or indehiscent. 
A family of 150 genera, 2200 species; widespread in tropical and subtropical regions. In Australia 23 genera 
with 15 genera in the NT; 11 recorded for the DR, 4 of which are introduced. [Brenan, 1967; Verdcourt, 1979] 
1. Leaves apparently simple, of 2 equal lobes ............ss:ccssssssssesessscesssresesscsssensesesensecacerseesaves Piliostigma 
[i A LGAVESICOMPOUNG Searsctessrsecteteerasesstecseelotserveieiscerestittvoensotaterssisiterensctoeensasetsesscsetvasestseanstbeae 2 
2% Dedives with? leafletsho ttn: nT. UND Serpe ses reece 3 
DSeam Leavesiwithi>2ileatletswrmrrmertitccsecridttercanrmen taser attri arrterigetireserttoeet esteesrenane steer 4 
3:5) sHerbsistipules: broad! cordate -sititecsttsrsesestscsentscssececetesrerrtcsetesesceettarersceeerersenteesseleststyssessste Chamaecrista 
3 9 ee Shrubs.or treessstipules, minutesteatseetitecrscereesstsicesstresterersiseleststtectecscsettesessetesresetetse 3 Lysiphyllum 
4 sae Spinescentishrubsi. avatars stitercccttenicsettrccrscesecescretherscasrtrenrretttreenet et seaseisesstttissesdasth 5 
Ateee Unarmed: herbseshrubsontrees sree caerssrttten werttsrstenr rent interact icra eee tt ereerseereartss 6 
5. Leaflets alternate, >50 per pinna; pod Smooth .............ccccscssecssrsesseesssneersseseeeensnserensseeneees Parkinsonia 
5. Leaflets opposite, 6-10 pairs per pinna; pod spiny Caesalpinia 
Gsm Leaves bipinnatestertrsr upecaeieite ier mratiictcccberieesrioneseecstserertterentientttisette 7 
6. Leaves pinnate 9 
7. Leaves with 1-3 pairs of pinnae; leaflets <10, alternate «0.0... cecesesessssesesesessseseseeeneneeeeeeees Erythrophleum 
Leaves with >6 pairs of pinnae; leaflets >18, opposite .. 8 
8. Flowers yellow; tomentum of foliage and inflorescence rusty; 
podiindehiscenthtojl OOMmmalong eer isrecsssssscsssstestetcectttrossstscerstegsicseansetesrerteg sovtseseseceres Peltophorum 
8. Flowers red; tomentum of foliage and inflorescence white or hyaline; 
pod dehiscent>300 mmilong tiencsssstseccsstessestasssoserssetsseasenryirsstet tantetsierttesresiseemeegsasstoses Delonix 
9. Leaflets >100 mm long; pods cylindrical, indehiscent, >150 mm long .........:.seseeseseeees Cassia 
Leaflets <100 mm long; pods dehiscent or if indehiscent then <150 mm long................. 10 
10. Perfect stamens 3; pod indehiscent; seeds immersed in fleshy pulp ........-sssscseseeneseeseese Tamarindus 
10. Perfect stamens more than 3; pod dehiscent; seeds not immersed in fleshy pulp ............. 11 
11. Pod valves twisting after dehiscence; bracteoles present; 
androecium not bilaterally symmetrical ...........sssssssssssssssssesesessssssssesesececersesceesesseeneaees Chamaecrista 
11. Pod valves remaining flat after dehiscence; bracteoles absent; 
androecium| bilaterall yssymimetrical Brrtecssseseectrresesettscsssetestsereetereressteteretsasesemeeensteresetets Senna 
