Pachycarpus grantii subsp. marroninus Goyder

Apocynaceae (part 2), David Goyder, Timothy Harris, Siro Masinde, Ulrich Meve, Johan Venter. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2012

Morphology Stem

Stems to 40 cm tall, mostly less

Morphology General Indumentum

Indumentum shorter

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly lanceolate, acute, but sometimes ovate and obtuse

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla mostly dull pink or maroon, occasionally cream

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona lobes erect

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anther wings oblong or at most weakly triangular; corpusculum subcylindrical; translator arms ± 0.4 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia obovate. Fig

Figures

Fig 107/5–7, p 444

Ecology

Short montane grassland; 1800–2700 m

Note

Differences from the type subspecies are largely a matter of degree, but add up to give a distinctive appearance. As these differences correlate with a geographical separation, it seems appropriate to recognise the two taxa at subspecific rank. It is difficult to link fruiting material with flowering material with certainty, but it appears that follicles of the subsp. grantii are shorter than those of subsp. marroninus and the wings are much broader distally than in the uniformly narrow wings of the latter subspecies.

Distribution

Flora districts: T7 Range: Endemic to the higher plateaux of the southern highlands of Tanzania