Rytigynia Blume

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or small trees, occasionally somewhat scrambling; stems spiny in a few species, usually distinctly lenticellate

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite or occasionally in whorls of 3, particularly in some forms of R. celastroides, petiolate, often with domatia in axils of nerves beneath; stipules connate at the base, oblong or triangular, villous within, often ± persistent, ending in a mostly linear or subulate ± deciduous appendage

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers mostly 5-merous, small, usually white, yellowish or greenish, axillary, solitary or in 2–10(–15)-flowered sometimes umbel-like cymes; peduncles and pedicels mostly well developed; bracts and sometimes bracteoles present, small; sometimes inflorescence-axes scarcely developed and flowers appear fasciculate

Morphology General Buds

Buds obtuse, acute or conspicuously long-apiculate, glabrous or pubescent outside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube ± subglobose, the limb short, truncate or denticulate only, distinctly lobed in a few species mostly in distinctive subgenera, mostly persistent on the young fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-tube cylindrical, glabrous or hairy within for part or most of length or with a ring of deflexed hairs in the middle; lobes shorter than to longer than the tube, acute to very distinctly long-apiculate or with a filiform appendage

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens slightly to distinctly exserted; anthers often mucronate or slightly appendaged, often papillate; filaments very short

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary mostly 3–5(–6)-locular, but 2-locular in some species; style usually exserted, slightly swollen at base; stigmatic club coroniform, subglobose or occasionally cylindrical, sulcate beneath where in contact with anther-thecae, mostly distinctly 2–5-lobed at apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk depressed, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit mostly globose or asymmetrical and compressed if only 1–2 pyrenes developed, ± 1 cm. diameter, with 1–5 pyrenes; pyrenes narrowly ± reniform or boat-shaped, the notch about one-third from the apex, the dehiscence line on a ± marked keel, often pitted.

Rubiaceae, D. Bridson. Flora Zambesiaca 5:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs or small trees, occasionally somewhat scrambling; stems spiny in a few species, usually distinctly lenticellate.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves opposite, or occasionally in whorls of 3 particularly in some forms of R. celastroides, petiolate, often with domatia in axils of nerves beneath; stipules often ± persistent, connate at the base, oblong or triangular, villous within, ending in a mostly linear or subulate ± deciduous appendage.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers axillary, solitary, or in 2–10(15)-flowered umbel-like cymes, mostly 5-merous, small, usually white, yellowish or greenish; peduncles and pedicels mostly well-developed; bracts and sometimes bracteoles present, small; sometimes inflorescence axes scarcely developed and flowers appearing fasciculate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube ± subglobose; limb short, truncate or denticulate, distinctly lobed in a few species (mostly in distinctive subgenera), mostly persisting on the young fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla obtuse, acute or conspicuously long-apiculate in bud; tube cylindrical, glabrous or pubescent outside, glabrous or hairy within for part or for most of the tube length, or corolla tube with a ring of deflexed hairs in the middle; lobes shorter than to longer than the tube, acute to very distinctly long apiculate, or with a filiform appendage.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens slightly to distinctly exserted; anthers often mucronate to slightly appendaged, often papillate; filaments very short.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary mostly 3–5(6)-locular, but 2-locular in some species.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style usually exserted, slightly swollen at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen

Pollen presenter coroniform, subglobose or occasionally cylindrical, sulcate beneath where in contact with anther cells, mostly distinctly 2–5-lobed at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disk depressed, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit mostly globose, or asymmetrical and compressed if only 1–2 pyrenes developed, c. 10 mm in diameter, with 1–5 pyrenes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Pyrene

Pyrenes narrowly ± reniform or boat-shaped, the notch usually about one third from the apex, the dehiscence line on a ± marked keel, often pitted.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/120962677/120980408

Conservation

CR - critically endangered