Hilleria latifolia (Lam.) H.Walter

Phytolaccaceae, R. M. Polhill. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Shrubby herb 0.4–2 m. tall, with some weak bristly pubescence along the angles of the youngest branches only.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades ovate-elliptic to elliptic-oblong or elliptic-obovate, up to 8–16(–20) cm. long and 3.5–7.5(–9) cm. wide, markedly acuminate, broadly cuneate to the slightly decurrent unequal-sided base, glabrous except for small hairs on the nerves particularly beneath; crystals visible as short raised lines beneath; primary lateral nerves 6–10 on either side; petiole (1–)2–5(–7) cm. long, adaxially pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes ± 4–10(–25 in fruit) cm. long, subdensely many-flowered, setulose-pubescent along the ridges of the rhachis; bracts long-caudate from an ovate basal part, 1–2 mm. long, caducous; pedicels slender, 1.2–2(–4 in fruit) mm. long, with minute bracteoles on the upper part.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals green or white, often turning yellow or red in fruit, ± 1.5–2 mm. long in flower, accrescent to twice this size in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, a little shorter than the sepals.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style very short or lacking, with an obliquely capitate stigma.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 2–3 mm. across, laxly venose when dry, turning yellow to dark red or purple.

Figures

Fig. 2.

Habitat

Rain-forest, riverine and groundwater forest; 450–1600 m.

Distribution

K4 K5 K6 T1 T3 T6 U2 U3 U4 Ethiopia west to Liberia and Angola, Madagascar, Mascarene Is., South America

Phytolaccaceae, B. L. Stannard. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit

Herbs or sub-shrubs up to c. 1.5 m. tall, stems pubescent on younger parts.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves: lamina 4.5–15 × 2.0–6.5 cm., ovate-elliptic to elliptic, pubescent to glabrescent along veins below and sometimes along midrib above; petioles 5–55 mm. long, pubescent on superior surface.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes to 15 cm. long in fruit; rhachis pubescent to glabrescent; pedicels c. 2 mm. long in flower, to 4 mm. in fruit, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts c. 1.5 mm. long, caducous, glabrous to setulose (particularly along margins).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles

Bracteoles minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 1.5–2 × 1–1.25 mm. in flower, broadly elliptic to obovate, apex rounded, glabrous, green or white.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, approximately same length as sepals.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 1–1.5 mm. tall; style very short; stigma capitate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 2.0–2.5 mm. in diam., ridged around margin; pericarp very thin, adhering to seed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed same shape as fruit; testa hard.

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

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean. Elevation range: 1000–1200 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Cundinamarca.

Habit

Herb.

Phytolaccaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb, often woody below

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white in a yellow or pinkish raceme

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits yellow or orange, then deep purplish-black.

Ecology

Naturalized in cultivated ground and along forest paths near villages in the forest regions.