Jatropha stuhlmannii Pax

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/158320/771893

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or subshrub, slender and sparsely branched, 0.4–2 m tall, stem densely pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate; blade palmately 5-lobed, cordate at the base, the middle lobe obovate or oblanceolate, acute ot obtuse, 2–10 x 1–4 cm, lateral lobes smaller, coarsely dentate to denticulate or subentire, both surfaces pubescent to tomentose; petiole 1.5–11 cm long

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules bipartite to multifid, 5–7 mm long, the segments filiform, gland-tipped

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 8–25 cm long; bracts with long-stalked glands

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers: calyx-lobes 1.5 mm long, rounded, glabrous or pubescent; petals c. 4 mm long Female flowers: calyx-lobes 4–5 mm long, with stalked glands at margin; styles almost free, 1.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit subglobose, 10–11(–16) x 9–10(–14) mm, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 9 x 4.5 mm, with a fimbriate caruncle covering one end.

Distribution

S1, 2; Kenya, Tanzania

Ecology

Altitude range 0–270 m.

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

Morphology General Habit

A ± evenly to densely tomentose or pubescent perennial herb or subshrub up to 2 m. in height, but more commonly ± 1 m. tall, arising from an underground rhizome ± 3 cm. diameter, which exudes a blood-red sap when cut.

Morphology General Bark

Bark grey, papery.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves long-petiolate; leaf-blade consistently 5-palmatipartite or pedatipartite, the median lobe obovate or oblanceolate, 5–10 cm. long, 2–4 cm. wide, the laterals progressively smaller, acute, often appreciably attenuate towards the base, coarsely dentate, rarely subentire, sometimes somewhat lobulate, broadly cordate, with 10–14 pairs of lateral nerves per lobe; petiole 4–11 cm. long.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules bipartite or multifid, 5–7 mm. long, the segments setaceous, gland-tipped, pubescent below, glabrous above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences leaf-opposed, up to 25 cm. long; bracts linear-lanceolate, 5–10 mm. long, acute, the margin beset with long-stipitate glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers:calyx-lobes ovate to ovate-oblong, 1.5 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, rounded, entire or with one or more glands at the apex, glabrous or pubescent; petals obovate-spathulate, ± free, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, rounded, pubescent within at the base, otherwise glabrous, pale green or yellowish; disc-glands free, erect, flattened and scale-like, truncate; stamens 8, the 5 outer united for half their length, with the filaments 2.5 mm. long, the 3 inner almost completely fused together, and with the filaments 3 mm. long, anthers ovoid, 0.5 mm. long, bright yellow. Female flowers:calyx-lobes lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 4–5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, acute or subacute, the margins beset with stalked glands, puberulous or pubescent; petals oblanceolate-oblong, otherwise ± as in ♂; disc 5-lobed, the lobes somewhat flattened, truncate; ovary subglobose-trilobed, 1.7–2 mm. long, 2 mm. diameter, glabrous; styles almost free to the base, 1.5 mm. long, ± erect, stigmas capitate, bilobed.

sex Male

Male flowers:calyx-lobes ovate to ovate-oblong, 1.5 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, rounded, entire or with one or more glands at the apex, glabrous or pubescent; petals obovate-spathulate, ± free, 4 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, rounded, pubescent within at the base, otherwise glabrous, pale green or yellowish; disc-glands free, erect, flattened and scale-like, truncate; stamens 8, the 5 outer united for half their length, with the filaments 2.5 mm. long, the 3 inner almost completely fused together, and with the filaments 3 mm. long, anthers ovoid, 0.5 mm. long, bright yellow.

sex Female

Female flowers:calyx-lobes lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 4–5 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, acute or subacute, the margins beset with stalked glands, puberulous or pubescent; petals oblanceolate-oblong, otherwise ± as in ♂; disc 5-lobed, the lobes somewhat flattened, truncate; ovary subglobose-trilobed, 1.7–2 mm. long, 2 mm. diameter, glabrous; styles almost free to the base, 1.5 mm. long, ± erect, stigmas capitate, bilobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit subglobose-trilobed, 1–1.1(–1.6) cm. long, 0.9–1(–1.4) cm. diameter, dehiscing septicidally.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds oblong, 9 mm. long, 4.5 mm. wide, pale grey, shiny, with a patelliform, fimbriate caruncle completely capping the hilar end.

Habitat

On sandy soil and black clay soil in grassland and in open coastal bushland; sea-level to 100 m.

Distribution

K1 K7 T3 T6 T8