Oldenlandia johnstonii (Oliv.) K.Schum. ex Engl.

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Habit

Perennial usually completely prostrate herb, with radiating stems 0.2–1 m. long from a central fibrous rootstock and often rooting at the nodes; young branches sometimes with lines of fine short hair particularly at nodes, but otherwise practically glabrous.

Leaves

Leaf-blades ovate or elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate or lanceolate, 1.5–6 cm. long, 0.5–1.8(–2.2) cm. wide, acute at the apex, rounded to cuneate at the base, sparsely very shortly scabrid-puberulous on both surfaces or only on the nerves and margin; petiole 2–5 mm. long, scabrid pubescent; stipule-sheath hairy, 1–1.5 mm. long, produced into a triangular lobe 2–2.5 mm. long bearing 5–9 filiform fimbriae 1–5 mm. long.

Flowers

Flowers dimorphic, in axillary and terminal inflorescences, usually consisting of small heads usually in threes; common peduncles 0.6–3 cm. long; secondary peduncles 1–8 mm. long; pedicels obsolete to 0.5 mm. long.

Calyx

Calyx-tube obconic, ± 1 mm. long, glabrous to densely pubescent; lobes triangular-lanceolate, 2 mm. long, 0.5–1 mm. wide, usually keeled, slightly puberulous.

Corolla

Corolla white or slightly pinkish; tube 1.2–1.5 mm. long, densely hairy in the throat; lobes oblong, 2–2.5 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide, hairy at the base.

Style

Style glabrous to shortly pilose, 1 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 3 mm. long in long-styled flowers.

Fruits

Capsule ovoid or oblong-subglobose, 1.5 mm. tall, 2 mm. wide, glabrous to puberulous.

Seeds

Seeds black, angular, ± 0.5 mm.