Loeseneriella A.C.Sm.

Celastraceae, N.K.B. Robson, N. Hallé, B. Mathew and R. Blakelock†. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1994

Morphology General Habit

Tall lianes or scandent shrubs; old stems grooved with fairly deep furrows filled with parenchyma (this structure allows a certain degree of flexibility in tall lianes); the most massive of these trunks sometimes break into four separate stems which repeat the structure of the original

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly opposite, petiolate; blade entire or moderately crenulate

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules free or borne on a transverse flange-like structure

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences of axillary cymes without accessory branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers usually with conical buds

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, equal or unequal, rather small

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 5, valvate or with the margins slightly overlapping, often rather long, glabrous or pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disc very variable in its degree of development, often complex with a collar-like base encircling a separate fleshy pad, sometimes cup-like with the centre extended upwards into a thick fleshy column

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 3; anthers with extrorse transverse dehiscence; pollen in monads, tricolporate, ± 20–40 ? in diameter, finely reticulate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary thin-walled, enclosed within the base of the filaments; ovules 4–15(–20) per locule; style conic-pyramidal with a punctiform stigma

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit of 3 dehiscent mericarps, each with 2 caducous valves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Cotyledons fused Seeds winged, with a marginal and submedian vein (the raphe), inserted into pocket-like structures at the point of attachment Germination hypogeal.