Capparaceae
Maerua

Maerua pseudopetalosa (Gilg & Gilg-Ben.) DeWolf

First published in Kew Bull. 16: 82 (1962)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is W. Tropical Africa to Eritrea and N. Kenya. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial woody herb or subshrub with ascending branches, 3–6 dm. tall from a woody thickened root, glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ascending, petiolate, simple; blade elliptic or lanceolate, 12–35 mm. long, 3–13 mm. wide, acute, mucronate at the apex, cuneate or rounded at the base; petiole 0.5–1.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers many, borne singly in the upper leaf-axils; pedicels 8–20 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals elliptic, 10–12 mm. long; receptacle 2–5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 0.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androphore
Androphore about 1 mm. longer than the receptacle; stamens 2–2.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynophore
Gynophore 2.5–3 cm. long; ovary spindle-shaped, 4–6 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits globose or ovoid-cylindric, ± 2 cm. in diameter, yellow, 1–3-seeded.
Figures
Fig. 7, p. 44.
Habitat
Deciduous bushland and grassland with scattered trees, often on termite-mounds; 900–1350 m.
Distribution
K2 U1 Sudan Republic west to Senegal
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
A low shrub or undershrub, 1–2 ft. high, with straight branches from a woody rhizome, smelling of dung
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish-white
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens white.
[FWTA]

Sources

  • 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

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0