Cadaba kirkii Oliv.

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

Capparidaceae, J. Elffers, R. A. Graham & G. P. Dewolf. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1964

Morphology General Habit

Much branched dense rather straggling evergreen shrub, up to 3–5 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Young twigs densely covered with yellow glandular hairs, often glabrescent with age.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves arising singly or fascicled; blade elliptic and usually broadly so, varying to ovate- or obovate-elliptic, 2.5–7 cm. long, 1.5–5.5 cm. wide, terminally rounded or attenuate, sometimes retuse, mucronulate, basally rounded to broadly cuneate, glabrous, varying to abundantly glandular-hairy; petiole 5–17 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence somewhat densely racemose, up to about 10 cm. long; pedicels spreading, often at right angles, 1–2 cm. long, viscous with glandular hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Outer sepals 10–11 mm. long, densely glandular-hairy outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 18–20 mm. long; blade linear-elliptic, less than 2 mm. broad, yellow, yellowish-green or white; claw fleshy, about 8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androphore

Androphore 8–10 mm. long, glabrous; appendage about 5 mm. long, rather funnel-shaped, apically dentate; stamens 5; filaments 5–10 mm. long, adnate to the androphore at their base; anthers ±1.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynophore

Gynophore glandular-hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits narrowly cylindrical, 1.5–4.5 cm. long, rather shallowly torulose, viscous with glandular hairs.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland, bushland and thicket, riverine forest; 650–1350 m.

Distribution

T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

Capparidaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit

Shrub up to 5 m. tall with the young branches covered with golden, viscid glands, older branches glabrescent, brown.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina 2.5–9 x 1–5 cm., ovate or broadly elliptic, obtuse at the apex, mucronate, rounded or subcordate at the base, glandular-pubescent on both sides or soon glabrescent, midrib pale and prominent below.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of many-flowered, terminal, leafless racemes; rhachis up to 12 cm. long; pedicels up to 1.7 cm. long, with viscid, glandular hairs; bracts up to 1 cm. long subulate or linear-spathulate, glandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals yellowish or yellowish-green, c. 1.2 x 0.6 cm., free, subequal, elliptic, the upper and lower folded longitudinally, the lateral sepals with a keeled midrib, acute at the apex, densely glandular-pubescent outside, puberulous inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellowish or cream, c. 1.7 x 0.15 cm., linear-spathulate with a claw as long as the lamina, sparsely puberulous, tapering to an acuminate apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androgynophore

Androgynophore 6 mm. long, glabrous, with a basal narrowly funnel-shaped nectary 4 x 2 mm. with a dentate margin at the mouth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 5; filaments unequal, 0.5–1.2 cm. long, glabrous; anthers dark purple, 3 x 1.5 mm., oblong.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynophore

Gynophore c. 6 mm. long, glandular-pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary cylindric, glandular-pubescent; ovules numerous, on 2 placentas; stigma subsessile, subapiculate, narrower than the ovary.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit c. 6 x 0.5 mm., many-seeded, narrowly cylindric, subtorulose, densely viscid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 3.5 mm. in diam., subglobose or irregularly compressed, with a smooth brown testa.