Sesamothamnus Welw.

Pedaliaceae, H. D. Ihlenfeldt. Flora Zambesiaca 8:3. 1988

Morphology General Habit

Branched, spiny, small trees or shrubs; trunks smooth, usually swollen at the base, with ascending branches.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves deciduous, entire, usually obovate, petiolate and alternate on long shoots, almost sessile and fasciculate in the axils of spines (modified petioles).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers large, white, cream, pink or (not in the Flora Zambesiaca area) yellow, sweet-scented in the evening and early morning (pollinated by butterflies), in few-flowered raceme-like inflorescences.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5-partite, subequally lobed, posterior lobe smaller.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla with a long cylindrical or (not in the Flora Zambesiaca area) narrowly funnel-shaped tube, curved or (not in the Flora Zambesiaca area) straight, usually with a conspicuous spur near the base; limb spreading at right angles to the tube, lobes subequal, entire or (not in the Flora Zambesiaca area) fringed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4, subequal, inserted near the throat of the corolla tube; thecae parallel; pollen in tetrads.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary bilocular divided incompletely by false septa into 4 compartments; ovules numerous, uniseriate in each compartment.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a rigid woody capsule, laterally compressed, oblong to obovate in outline.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, large, compressed, subcircular to transversely oblong, with broad membranous wings.

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

Morphology General Habit

Spiny deciduous shrubs or small trees, the main stems somewhat to distinctly swollen at the base

Morphology Leaves

Leaves on long shoots alternate, petiolate, with ephemeral and mostly reduced blades, the petioles persistent and developing into spines; leaves on short shoots in the axils of the spines clustered and subsessile, the petioles sometimes developing into tiny spines

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers large, in raceme-like aggregates, usually appearing before the leaves, opening in the evening and with an intensive scent during the night

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-tube long, cylindrical or narrowly funnel-shaped, curved or straight, usually with a conspicuous spur at the base; lobes subequal, entire or fringed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers with parallel thecae

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a woody laterally compressed capsule

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds numerous, compressed, obovate, with a translucent wing.

Distribution

Five species in north-eastern and southern Africa.