Caryophyllaceae
Polycarpaea

Polycarpaea tenuistyla Turrill

First published in Kew Bull. 9: 504 (1954)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. Kenya. It is a subshrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Caryophyllaceae, W. B. Turrill. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1956

Morphology General Habit
Probably perennial, at least with the lower parts of the stems more or less woody; stems up to 2.2 dm. long, densely leafy, with hirsute internodes.
Morphology Leaves
Cauline leaves opposite or whorled, aggregated in axillary branches, narrowly linear, acute, mucronate, 3–11 mm. long, 0.25 mm. broad, spreading, glabrous or nearly glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal, many flowered, more or less congested, 2–4.7 cm. broad.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers apparently white.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals lanceolate, acute or shortly acuminate, 3 mm. long, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals narrowly lanceolate, acute or irregularly 2–3-dentate, 2.3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5, 2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary with 10–12 ovules; style slender, about 1.5 mm. long.
Habitat
Not known (probably bushland)
Distribution
K7 endemic to south-eastern Kenya
[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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

  • 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