Seed morphology, protein profiling and taxonomic relationships among certain Legume-Mimosoid taxa

Seed morphology and protein profiles were done for nine taxa of Leguminosae subfamily Mimosoideae, namely Acacia farnesiana, Adenanthera pavonina, Albizia lebbeck, A. saman, Dichrostachys cinerea, Entada rheedii, Mimosa pudica, Parkia biglandulosa and Pithecellobium dulce, using Scanning Electron Microscope and SDS-PAGE analysis. The total protein profile (electrophorogram) revealed the presence or absence of protein bands of molecular weights ranging from 11 to 100 kDa. There were considerable variations in band patterns of the taxa investigated. The phenogram has the nine taxa forming four clusters, corresponding to the four tribes of Mimosoideae. The variations in the seed morphology and biochemical aspects of the taxa were of use in the proper identification, classification and to discuss relationships among the nine Mimosoid taxa.