Apocynaceae
Piaranthus

Piaranthus decipiens (N.E.Br.) Bruyns

First published in Syst. Bot. 24: 396 (1999)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Africa. It is a succulent subshrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Goyder, D. J., Gilbert, M. G. & Venter, H. J. T. (2020). Apocynaceae (part 2). In: M. A. García (ed.), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 7(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Type
South Africa, MacOwan 2246 (K holotype).
Morphology General Habit
Mat-forming stem-succulent
Morphology Stem
Stems decumbent, 2–15 cm long, 0.8–2 cm wide, 4(5)-angled
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tubercles with leaf rudiments 3–6 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 1–3-flowered arising in upper half of the stem, flowers opening in succession
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peduncles to 0.5 cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels 2–6 mm long, ascending, with the flowers upward facing
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals lanceolate, 6–8 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla rotate, 2–3 cm in diam., red or brown mottled with yellow, papillate, thickened around the mouth of the corolla tube; corolla lobes spreading or ascending, ovate, 7–12 mm long, acute, margins with clavate purplish cilia
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Inner staminal corona lobes 3–6 mm long, reddish or brownish, narrowing gradually towards the apex and lacking a slender apical appendage.
Distribution
Bruyns suggests this species should also occur in northern Botswana. It is known from central Namibia and South Africa.
Ecology
In shade under shrubs or small bushes on loam or calcrete, rarely on sand; c.1150 m.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0