Dalechampia ipomoeifolia Benth.

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

Morphology General Habit

Slender twiner to 7 m.

Morphology Stem

Stems thinly pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Petiole up to 10 cm. long; stipules linear or linear-lanceolate, up to 1 cm. long; blade simple, triangular-ovate, occasionally shallowly or deeply 3-lobed, 4–12 cm. long, 2–7 cm. wide, acute, acuminate, moderately to deeply cordate, margin slightly glandular-toothed, especially in the lower half, or subentire, puberulous along the nerves and otherwise glabrous or subglabrous above, moderately or densely pubescent along the nerves and otherwise sparingly pubescent or puberulous beneath, glands at the base stipelliform, subulate, 1.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary, or terminal on lateral shoots; main peduncles up to 14 cm. long, puberulous or glabrescent, stipules of the bracts resembling the foliar stipules; involucral bracts triangular-ovate, rarely 3-lobed, 2–3.5 cm. long, 1.5–3 cm. wide, acute, shallowly cordate, margin ± entire, glandular, with or without small tufts of hairs associated with the glands, glabrous or subglabrous without and within, 5-nerved from the base, pale green or yellowish. Male peduncles 4–5 mm. long, minutely puberulous; involucre 5–6 mm. in diameter, minutely puberulous, 14–20-flowered.

sex Male

Male flowers:pedicels 2 mm. long; sepals elliptic-ovate, 2 mm. long, 1.3 mm. wide, later becoming reflexed, but remaining inflexed at the tip, minutely puberulous outside, pale yellow; receptacular column 1.5 mm. long, puberulous; stamens 10–20, filaments minute, anthers pale yellow. Male peduncles 4–5 mm. long, minutely puberulous; involucre 5–6 mm. in diameter, minutely puberulous, 14–20-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts subtending the 3 ♀ flowers transversely ovate, 2 mm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, ciliate. Mass of fused bracts central, flattened.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers:pedicels 1 mm. long, extending to 1.2 cm. in fruit; sepals 6, pinnatifid (elliptic-ovate in outline), 2.5 mm. long, but extending to 1 cm. in fruit, with 6 pairs of linear lateral lobes which are acute and not glandular at the apex, glabrous above and beneath, but with the lobes densely strigose-hirsute on the margins, the hairs white and urticating; disc 0; ovary pubescent; style up to 7 mm. long, abruptly dilated and excavated at the apex. Male flowers:pedicels 2 mm. long; sepals elliptic-ovate, 2 mm. long, 1.3 mm. wide, later becoming reflexed, but remaining inflexed at the tip, minutely puberulous outside, pale yellow; receptacular column 1.5 mm. long, puberulous; stamens 10–20, filaments minute, anthers pale yellow.

sex Female

Female flowers:pedicels 1 mm. long, extending to 1.2 cm. in fruit; sepals 6, pinnatifid (elliptic-ovate in outline), 2.5 mm. long, but extending to 1 cm. in fruit, with 6 pairs of linear lateral lobes which are acute and not glandular at the apex, glabrous above and beneath, but with the lobes densely strigose-hirsute on the margins, the hairs white and urticating; disc 0; ovary pubescent; style up to 7 mm. long, abruptly dilated and excavated at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits 3-lobed, 5 mm. long and 8 mm. wide, puberulous, grey or brownish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds spherical, 3 mm. diameter, brown, grey-mottled.

Habitat

Forest edges; 1150 m.

Distribution

U4 westwards through Zaire to Sierra Leone

Euphorbiaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A slender twiner

Morphology General Indumentum

Pubescent stems

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in close clusters within two leafy bracts.