Curtisia dentata (Burm.f.) C.A.Sm.

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: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Cornaceae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

A shrub or small tree up to 8(13) m. high.

Morphology Twigs

Twigs densely covered with a rusty tomentum when young, becoming dark purplish brown and finally greyish and more or less glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, up to 10 × 5·5 cm., simple, ovate (elliptic), coriaceous.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina Leaf margin

Margins ± regularly serrate in the apical 1/2, the serrations becoming reduced in the basal 1/2 to subentire (very rarely the whole margin may be subentire); apex rounded to acute, occasionally with a small mucro; base rounded to cuneate, rarely slightly oblique.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Upper surface of the lamina glossy, glabrous but with some hairs along the main vein and some laterals; lower surface densely rusty tomentose when young becoming ± glabrous (apart from the veins) with maturity.

Morphology Leaves Leaf veins

Venation penninerved, regular and conspicuous; petioles up to 2·5 cm. long, tomentose when young, becoming less so with age.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of terminal panicles, the branches with a dense yellowish-brown tomentum.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts obvious, linear-lanceolate, tomentose, subtending the opposite primary branches of the panicle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sessile to very shortly pedicellate; calyx pubescent, adnate to the ovary but with 4 broadly triangular free teeth; petals 4, 1–1·5 × 0·75 mm., ovate, glabrous within.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, alternating with and slightly shorter than the petals.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary inferior, turbinate, disk slightly conical, pubescent; style short with stigma with 4 short lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit drupaceous, 5–7 × 3–5 mm., subglobose to ovoid, crowned with the remains of the calyx and style, 4-locular with 1 seed in each loculus.