''Pentaclethra'' is a small

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of trees from the tropics. They are

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

. They belong to the mimosoid clade of the subfamily

Caesalpinioideae Caesalpinioideae is a botanical name at the rank of subfamily, placed in the large family Fabaceae or Leguminosae. Its name is formed from the generic name '' Caesalpinia''. It is known also as the peacock flower subfamily. The Caesalpinioideae a ...

. The name ''Pentaclethra'' is derived from

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

, ''penta'' meaning 'five', and ''cleithro'' meaning 'bolt', which alludes to the five imbricate

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s and five

petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...

s joined at the base, characteristic of this genus.

Species

''Pentaclethra'' is a small genus with three species. It is considered basal to the mimosoid clade. One species, ''P. macroloba'', occurs in the American tropics. This is the dominant tree in certain seasonal swamp forests in coastal areas of Atlantic

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

. The other two species occur in Africa. ''Pentaclethra,'' popularly known as ''ugba (''raw oil bean seeds'')'' in Africa, has great nutritional value. Proximate analysis of raw oil bean seed reveals that it is composed of proteins (36–42%), lipids (43–47%) and carbohydrates (4–17%) The high content of the essential amino acids makes the seed a potential source of protein.Achinewhu, S. C. (1982). Chemical and nutrient composition of fermentedproducts from plant foods.Nig. Food J.1, 115–117. Glutamic acid appears to be the largest amino acid contained in the seed and its fermented product. This could explain why pentaclethra (ugba) is often used as a flavoring agent for soups in southeastern Nigeria. *'' Pentaclethra eetveldeana'' De Wild. & T.Durand *''

Pentaclethra macroloba ''Pentaclethra macroloba'' is a large and common leguminous tree in the genus ''Pentaclethra'' native to the wet tropical areas of the northern Neotropics, which can form monoculture, monocultural stands in some seasonally flooded habitats. It ha ...

'' ( Willd.) Kuntze *'' Pentaclethra macrophylla''

Benth. George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

References

Mimosoids Fabaceae genera Taxa named by George Bentham {{Mimosoideae-stub