Ehretia cymosa Thonn.

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

Shrub or small tree 2–9(–20) m. tall, with spreading crown and often weak drooping branches.

Morphology Stem

Young stems pubescent or glabrescent, soon glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades elliptic or elliptic- to ovate-oblong, 7.5–20 cm. long, 3.5–12 cm. wide, acuminate at the apex, cuneate, rounded or ± subcordate at the base, glabrous above save for the midrib and beneath save for pubescent nervation and hairy domatia, ± subcoriaceous; venation ± impressed above, raised beneath; petiole 1.2–3.5 cm. long, glabrous, puberulous or hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers hermaphrodite, fragrant, in often copious panicles of corymbose cymes up to 15 cm. long and wide, the axes glabrous to pubescent or long densely spreading hairy, sessile or subsessile or terminal flowers shortly pedicellate; pedicels articulate at the base, 1–2(–3) mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx campanulate, 1.5–2 mm. long, with 4–5 lanceolate lobes 0.7–1.2 mm. long, acute, glabrous or puberulous, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, yellowish or pinkish white, campanulate, 4–8 mm. long; tube 1.5–3 mm. long; lobes 4–5, oblong, 1.5–4 mm. long, 1.5–1.8 mm. wide, obtuse or subacute, reflexed, glabrous or sparsely to densely ciliate at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens exserted; filaments 2.4–3.5 mm. long; anthers brownish or blackish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary ovoid, 1 mm. long, glabrous; heterostyly frequent; style white or pale purple, exserted 2–4 mm. in long-styled flowers, 0.7–0.8 mm. long and included in short-styled flowers; stigmatic branches 0.5–1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits orange, red or black, ovoid to subglobose, 2–6 mm. in diameter, apiculate, breaking up at maturity into 4 mericarps; pyrenes subovoid, 3.3 mm. long, 2.8 mm. wide; one inner face with an excavation towards the apex, the other not excavated but with an indentation bordering the straight margin; outer face convex with 4–5 ribs strongest towards the base and smooth towards the right-hand margin.