Craterosiphon Engl. & Gilg

Thymelaeaceae, B. Peterson (University of Göteborg). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1978

Habit

Lianes, climbing shrubs or small trees with twining branches; twigs with conspicuous lenticels, glabrous

Leaves

Leaves opposite, subopposite or rarely alternate, petiolate; blade elliptical to ovate, acuminate, chartaceous to coriaceous; lateral nerves spreading almost at right angles

Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary

Flowers

Flowers 5-merous, subsessile or pedicelled, solitary or 2–4, with small, sometimes ciliate, bracts

Calyx

Calyx-tube funnel-shaped, glabrous outside, glabrous or hairy inside, somewhat fleshy, persistent; lobes 5, equal to the tube or much shorter

Corolla

Petals absent or 10 minute glands inserted on the throat of the tube

Stamens

Stamens 10 in two whorls, inserted in the throat of the tube

Pistil

Ovary sessile or subsessile, 1-locular, glabrous or slightly pubescent or pilose at the top; disc cup-shaped or lobed, membranous; style terminal or sublateral; stigma capitate, finely papillose

Fruits

Fruit a drupe with sclerified pericarp, included in the persistent calyx-tube Grain oblong, fusiform.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Habit

Lianes, climbing shrubs or small trees with twining branches; twigs with conspicuous lenticels, glabrous Lianes, climbing shrubs or small trees with twining branches; twigs with conspicuous lenticels, glabrous.

Leaves

Leaves opposite, subopposite or rarely alternate, petiolate; blade elliptic to ovate, acuminate, chartaceous to coriaceous; lateral nerves spreading almost at right angles Leaves opposite, subopposite or rarely alternate, petiolate; blade elliptic to ovate, acuminate, chartaceous to coriaceous; lateral nerves spreading almost at right angles.

Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary Inflorescences axillary.

Corolla

Petals absent or 10 minute glands inserted at the throat of the tube Petals absent or 10 minute glands inserted at the throat of the tube.

Ovary

Ovary sessile or subsessile, 1-locular, glabrous or slightly pubescent or pilose at the top; disk cup-shaped or lobed, membranous; style terminal or sublateral; stigma capitate or subcapitate, finely papillose, sometimes exserted

Distribution

About 9 species, all tropical African, mainly in the rain forest regions of central and west Africa.

Flowers

Flowers 5-merous, subsessile or shortly pedicellate, solitary or 2–4, with small, sometimes ciliate, bracts. Flowers 5-merous, subsessile or shortly pedicellate, solitary or 2–4, with small, sometimes ciliate, bracts

Calyx

Calyx tube funnel-shaped, glabrous outside, glabrous or hairy inside, somewhat fleshy, not articulated, persistent; lobes 5, equal to the tube or much shorter. Calyx tube funnel-shaped, glabrous outside, glabrous or hairy inside, somewhat fleshy, not articulated, persistent; lobes 5, equal to the tube or much shorter

Stamens

Stamens 10 in 2 whorls, or practically in 1 series, attached at the middle of the tube and included or attached in the throat of the tube and exserted; filaments of those opposite the sepals usually longer. Stamens 10 in 2 whorls, or practically in 1 series, attached at the middle of the tube and included or attached in the throat of the tube and exserted; filaments of those opposite the sepals usually longer

Pistil

Ovary sessile or subsessile, 1-locular, glabrous or slightly pubescent or pilose at the top; disk cup-shaped or lobed, membranous; style terminal or sublateral; stigma capitate or subcapitate, finely papillose, sometimes exserted.

Fruits

Fruit a drupe with a sclerified pericarp, included in the persistent calyx tube. Fruit a drupe with a sclerified pericarp, included in the persistent calyx tube

Seeds

Seed oblong, fusiform. Seed oblong, fusiform.