Coldenia procumbens L.

Boraginaceae, E. S. Martins (Trichodesma by R. K. Brummit). Flora Zambesiaca 7:4. 1990

Morphology General Habit

A procumbent annual herb; stems up to 40 cm. long, radiating, angular or ± laterally compressed, much branched, densely hairy to villous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petiole 1–5(12) mm. long, on the first ones up to 40 mm. long; lamina 4–23 x 3–15 mm. (on the first leaves 25–43 x 15–32 mm.) usually oblong, sometimes circular, ovate, elliptic or obovate, plicate on the youngest leaves, with appressed hairs diverging from the nerves and converging to the teeth apex above, densely glandular-hairy below, apex rounded, base asymmetrical, cuneate on one side, obtuse to truncate on the other, margins deeply crenate to lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers subsessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2.5–3.0 mm. long, a little accrescent in fruit, villous outside and inside; lobes ovate-lanceolate, subequal.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 1.5–2.2 mm. long, narrowly conical, calyptriform, early deciduous, white, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted at c. 0.5 mm. from the base of the corolla tube; anthers c. 0.3 mm. long, suborbicular to broadly elliptic; filaments as long as the anthers, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary c. 0.4 mm. long, ovate-pyramidal, glandular-pubescent; styles slightly united at base, early concealed by the apical protuberances of the fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 4–5 mm. wide, depressed-ovoid, 4-lobed, beaked and with irregular protuberances, glandular-hairy, brownish, dividing at first into 2 pairs of nutlets, later into 4 nutlets with the ventral surface angular.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/164183/140392256

Conservation

LC - least concern

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Plant with radiating stems, sometimes forming large mats; stems much branched, c. 5–25(–40) cm long, densely hairy

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades elliptic to oblong or obovate, asymmetric at the base, 0.5–3.3 x 0.3–2.2 cm, crenate, with nerves impressed above and appearing folded, with ± appressed hairs directed towards the tip of the lobes above and more spreading hairs beneath; petiole 1–10 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx c. 2.5 mm long, hairy, divided almost to the base into 4 lanceolate persistent lobes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, shorter than the calyx, glabrous, soon falling off; tube c. 1.5–1.7 mm long; lobes 4, 0.3–0.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted near base of corolla tube; anthers c. 0.3 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glandular-pubescent; styles 0.1–0.2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 3–4 mm long, pubescent, apiculate; nutlets slightly woody with rounded irregularly tuberculate dorsal face and angular ventral face

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed flattened-ovoid, c. 1.8 x 1.2 mm.

Distribution

S3 widespread but scattered in tropical Africa, Madagascar, tropical Asia and Australia.

Ecology

Altitude range c. 40 m.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Boraginaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1991

Morphology General Habit

Procumbent annual herb 10–50 cm. wide or forming mats 0.5–1 m. across; stems woody at the base, ± compressed, branched and ascending, greyish-velvety.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades oblong, elliptic or obovate, asymmetric, 0.5–3.3 cm. long, 0.3–2.2 cm. wide, crenulate or lobulate, strigose between the nerves above with adpressed ± bulbous-based hairs pointing towards the apices of lobes making leaf appear plicate, with spreading hairs beneath; nerves in 4–6 pairs, impressed above; petiole 0.1–2 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, subsessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2.5 mm. long, divided almost to the base into 4 lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate lobes, ± 0.6 mm. wide, often 1 lobe more developed, hairy, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, shorter than the calyx, glabrous, soon deciduous; tube ± cylindrical, 1.5–1.7 mm. long, slightly narrowed at the throat; lobes 4, oblong to obovate, 0.3–0.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4; filaments 0.2–0.4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary conical, 0.4–0.6 mm. long, glandular-pubescent; styles 0.1–0.2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 3–4 mm. long, glandular-hairy, apiculate, at first dividing into 2 then finally into 4 apiculate somewhat woody nutlets with rounded dorsal face with tubercles and irregular protuberances and angular ventral face.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds flattened-ovoid, 1.8 mm. long, 1.2 mm. wide.

Figures

Fig. 11.

Habitat

Dry mud of river banks and lake-shores, black cotton soil around ponds and rice cultivations near the coast, often with Eclipta, Glinus, Cynodon, etc., depressions and pans with standing water; 10–700 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K7 T3 T6 T7 T8 U2 Z Mauritania to Chad, Sudan and S. EgyptSenegal to Angola,tropical Asia and Australia