Suregada Roxb. ex Rottler

Euphorbiaceae, A. R.-Smith. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1987

Morphology General Habit

Dioecious or sometimes monoecious trees or shrubs, usually glabrous but occasionally with a simple indumentum

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, shortly petiolate, stipulate, simple, usually entire, vesicular-punctate or -zonate, chartaceous or coriaceous, penninerved

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules soon caducous, leaving prominent scars

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in leaf-opposed, glomerulate or fasciculate, sessile or pedunculate, uni- or bisexual cymules, ± gummy when young bracts; minute Female flowers pedicellate; sepals (4–)5(–8), free, imbricate, subequal, sometimes with a central glandular boss; petals 0; disc annular, sometimes lobate; staminodes 5–10, stamen-like or minute and subulate; ovary (2–)3(–4)-locular, with 1 ovule per locule; styles (2–)3(–4), united at the base, divaricate, bifid or multifid, stigmas linear or subulate, not persistent Male flowers usually pedicellate; sepals (4–)5(–7), free, imbricate, unequal, the outer ones sometimes with a central glandular boss, the inner ones petaloid; petals 0; receptacular glands or an annular disc present, but never both; stamens (6–)10–25(–60), free, anthers medifixed, extrorse, 2-thecous, longitudinally dehiscent at the back, pistillode 0

sex Male

Male flowers usually pedicellate; sepals (4–)5(–7), free, imbricate, unequal, the outer ones sometimes with a central glandular boss, the inner ones petaloid; petals 0; receptacular glands or an annular disc present, but never both; stamens (6–)10–25(–60), free, anthers medifixed, extrorse, 2-thecous, longitudinally dehiscent at the back, pistillode 0

sex Female

Female flowers pedicellate; sepals (4–)5(–8), free, imbricate, subequal, sometimes with a central glandular boss; petals 0; disc annular, sometimes lobate; staminodes 5–10, stamen-like or minute and subulate; ovary (2–)3(–4)-locular, with 1 ovule per locule; styles (2–)3(–4), united at the base, divaricate, bifid or multifid, stigmas linear or subulate, not persistent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit (1–)3(–4)-lobed or subglobose, dehiscing into as many bivalved cocci, or loculicidal, or else an indehiscent drupe; exocarp smooth or reticulate; endocarp subligneous, thinly crustaceous or firmly coriaceous; columella persistent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid, with a thin pulpy sarcotesta and a crustaceous smooth or foveolate-reticulate endotesta, ecarunculate; albumen fleshy; cotyledons broad, flat.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Trees or shrubs, usually glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, usually entire, areas between veins on upper side raised into distinctive swellings; stipules caducous, leaving prominent scars

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Usually dioecious; flowers in leaf-opposed cymules which are ± glutinous when young

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers: sepals (4–)5–6(–8), imbricate, subequal; petals absent; disc annular; staminodes 5–10; ovary (2–)3(–4)-celled, ovules solitary; styles with linear lobes, united at base Male flowers: sepals (4–)5–6(–7), imbricate, innermost petaloid; petals absent; disc annular or of free glands; stamens (6–)10–25(–60), free; pistillode absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a capsule, sometimes indehiscent, or drupe

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid, outer testa fleshy; caruncle absent.

Distribution

About 32 species in the Old World Tropics, of which eight are found in Africa.