Euphorbiaceae
Jatropha

Jatropha oblanceolata Radcl.-Sm.

First published in Kew Bull. 28: 522 (1973 publ. 1974)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Kenya (Northern Frontier). It is a shrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
A shrub up to 1.2 m. tall, with long and short shoots; stems puberulous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves sessile or subsessile, stipulate; stipules subulate, 1 mm. long, pubescent, at length somewhat indurated; leaf-blade oblanceolate, 1.5–5 cm. long, 0.4–1.5 cm. wide, truncate, obtuse or subacute, attenuate towards the base, repand-dentate in the upper half, ± entire in the lower, lateral nerves 5–7 pairs, sparingly puberulous above and beneath, slightly glaucous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal or subterminal, subdichasial, 2.5–3 cm. long; axis puberulous; bracts triangular, 1 mm. long, ± entire, eglandular, puberulous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Male flowers:sepals 5, ovate-oblong, 1.5 mm. long, 0.75 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous, ciliate; petals free, obovate, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous without, pubescent within in the lower half, yellow; disc-glands 5, free, oblong, compressed; stamens 8, the 5 outer with the filaments 2 mm. long and united for two-thirds their length, the 3 inner with the filaments 2.5 mm. long and united for three-quarters their length; anthers 0.75 mm. long. Female flowers:sepals 5, oblong-lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm. long, 1–1.2 mm. wide, not accrescent, acute, pubescent without, glabrous within, ciliate, subentire or denticulate; petals oblong, 4.5–5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous without, pilose within in the lower half, yellow; disc glands broad, truncate; ovary ovoid-subglobose, 2 mm. long, 1.5 mm. diameter, glabrous; styles arising from a disc-shaped stylopodium, connate at the base, 1.5 mm. long, stigmas reniform.
sex Male
Male flowers:sepals 5, ovate-oblong, 1.5 mm. long, 0.75 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous, ciliate; petals free, obovate, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous without, pubescent within in the lower half, yellow; disc-glands 5, free, oblong, compressed; stamens 8, the 5 outer with the filaments 2 mm. long and united for two-thirds their length, the 3 inner with the filaments 2.5 mm. long and united for three-quarters their length; anthers 0.75 mm. long.
sex Female
Female flowers:sepals 5, oblong-lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm. long, 1–1.2 mm. wide, not accrescent, acute, pubescent without, glabrous within, ciliate, subentire or denticulate; petals oblong, 4.5–5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, obtuse, glabrous without, pilose within in the lower half, yellow; disc glands broad, truncate; ovary ovoid-subglobose, 2 mm. long, 1.5 mm. diameter, glabrous; styles arising from a disc-shaped stylopodium, connate at the base, 1.5 mm. long, stigmas reniform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit trilobate-subcylindric, 9–10 mm. long, 8–9 mm. diameter, glabrous, smooth, somewhat glaucous, dehiscing septicidally.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Mature seed not known.
Habitat
On light sandy soil in Acacia, Commiphora bushland; 290 m.
Distribution
not known elsewhere K1 K4
[FTEA]

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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 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 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0