Capparaceae
Maerua

Maerua duchesnei (De Wild.) F.White

First published in Bol. Soc. Brot., sér. 2, 32: 35 (1958)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Tropical Africa to South Sudan and NW. Tanzania. It is a scrambling shrub or tree and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Scrambling shrub or small tree up to 8 m. tall with dark brown bark, glabrous but for the margin of the sepals.
Morphology Branches
Branchlets furrowed.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves petiolate, simple; blade oblanceolate, oblanceolate-elliptic or elliptic, 5–12 cm. long, 2–5 cm. wide, very acutely to sometimes rather obtusely acuminate, basally cuneate, rather leathery, dark green to brownish, with the midrib and primary nerves prominent beneath; petiole 3–7 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a rather congested axillary fascicle-like raceme towards the ends of the branches or flowers solitary in the leaf-axils; pedicels slender, 2–3.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals rather narrowly oblong, ±10 mm. long, acute, marginally tomentellous, markedly reflexed at anthesis; receptacle very short, ± 1 mm. long; disk with a free entire rim, ± 0.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals lanceolate to oblong, 6–7 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, rounded at the apex, white, mauve or pink.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens ± 50(–100); filaments ± 23 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary ovoid-ellipsoid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits similarly ovoid-ellipsoid, up to 2.5 cm. long, 1.2 cm. across, apically pointed, rugose and shiny.
Habitat
Lowland and upland rain-forest and forest edges; 1050–1350 m.
Distribution
widespread from the Sudan and Congo Republics to Sierra Leone T1 U1 U2 U4
[FTEA]

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
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/144038957/149058768

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

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

Morphology General Habit
A small tree, or shrub, in forest
Morphology General Bark
Smooth red-brown bark
Morphology Leaves
Shining leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals white, turning reddish
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens red
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ellipsoid, 1–11/2 in. long.
[FWTA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 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 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0