Connaraceae
Cnestis

Cnestis polyphylla Lam.

First published in Encycl. 3: 23 (1789)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Kenya to S. Africa, W. Indian Ocean. It is a climbing shrub or tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/65900916/65924626

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Connaraceae, E. J. Mendes. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966

Morphology General Habit
Large woody climber, scandent shrub or small tree with trailing branches.
Morphology Leaves Rachis
Leaf-rhachis 6–18 cm. long, with a dense cinnamon indumentum; terminal leaflet 2–5 × 1–2 cm., obovate, equal-sided, apex ± acuminate, base obliquely rounded or very shallowly cuneate, subcoriaceous, reticulate on both surfaces, glabrescent above, whitish-grey-tomentose underneath; lower surface with a prominent rufous midrib.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 4–8 cm. long, racemose, produced along leafless usually terminal long shoots, or clustered on short lateral shoots; shoots, inflorescence-rhachis, bracts, bracteoles, pedicels and outer surface of sepals densely cinnamon-tomentose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 4·5–5 × 1·1–1·6 mm., narrowly triangular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 3·5–4·5 × 0·6–1 mm., narrowly elliptic to narrowly obovate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Long-staminate flowers with 5 antisepalous stamens up to 4·5 mm. long and 5 antipetalous ones up to 4 mm. long; short-staminate flowers with 5 antisepalous stamens up to 3·5 mm. long and 5 antipetalous ones up to 2·6 mm. long; filaments ± flattened, free.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Carpels
Carpels of long-staminate flowers up to 1·8 mm. long, those of short-staminate flowers up to 4·5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Follicle up to 2·5 × 1 cm., subrecurved, ± rostrate, sparsely rufo-velutinous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed black, shining, up to 1·8 × 0·8 cm.
[FZ]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/126598282/126598809

Conservation
VU - vulnerable
[IUCN]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • 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/

  • 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 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