Lophiocarpaceae
Corbichonia

Corbichonia decumbens (Forssk.) Exell

First published in J. Bot. 73: 80 (1935)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Dry Tropical & S. Africa to India. It is an annual or subshrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Molluginaceae, M. L. Gonçalves. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
Erect, procumbent, prostrate or prostrate-ascending annual or short-lived perennial succulent herb up to 50 cm. high, sometimes with woody rootstock.
Morphology Stem
Stems branched, often sub-woody at base, sometimes very long, the internodes with narrow ridges decurrent from the petiole bases.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate, petiolate, fleshy; laminas 4–60 × 3–36 mm., oblanceolate-obovate, obovate-spathulate, obovate or orbicular, entire, apex apiculate, base cuneate, glaucous, sometimes turning purple; petiole 1–13 mm. long, winged.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences at first terminal but then overtopped and appearing lateral, up to c. 20 cm. long, few-many-flowered, loose, racemose, with lanceolate, membranous bracts up to 3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers pink, mauve or magenta, shortly pedicellate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-segments C. 4 mm. long in fruit, herbaceous, with white membranous margins, broadly ovate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes
Staminodes many, petaloid, membranous, fugacious, finally longer than perianth-segments.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens in 2 whorls.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit yellowish-green, shining, c. as long as perianth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds purplish-black, concentrically ridged, with white aril.
[FZ]

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

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds with ± concentric lines of tubercles.
Distribution
N1, 2 widespread in drier parts of tropical Asia and Africa.
Ecology
Altitude range 375–1300 m.
Morphology General Habit
Erect or, more often, decumbent to prostrate herb to 45 cm high; roots and stem bases subwoody
Morphology Stem
Stems to 1 m long, internodes with ridges decurrent from leaf-bases
Morphology Leaves Petiole
Petiole winged, up to 11 mm long; leaf-blade ± obovate, up to 65 x 33(–36) mm, base cuneate, tip apiculate, glaucous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Cymes lax, few- to many-flowered, somewhat raceme-like; bracts lanceolate, up to 3 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels 2–3 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals c. 4 mm long in fruit, ovate with broad white margins
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes
Staminodes pink, mauve or purple, eventually longer than sepals, conspicuous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule subglobose, yellow-green, shiny
[FSOM]

Aïzoaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1961

Morphology General Habit
An erect, decumbent or prostrate glabrous annual or short-lived perennial herb up to 45 cm. high.
Morphology Stem
Stems branched, wiry, often (like the rootstock) subwoody at the base, up to 100 cm. long, the internodes with narrow ridges decurrent from the petiole-bases.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves petiolate; blade oblanceolate-obovate, obovate-spathulate, or obovate, 4.5–65 mm. long, 2–33 mm. broad, entire, subsucculent, glaucous, apex apiculate, base cuneate; the petiole winged, 1.5–11 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal but overtopped and thus appearing lateral, leaf-opposed, few- to many-flowered, lax, racemiform, 1–17 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts lanceolate, membranous, up to 3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels 2–3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers pink, mauve, magenta or red.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals herbaceous, green with white membranous margins, broadly ovate, about 4 mm. long in fruit.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes
Staminodes many, petaloid, delicately membranous, fugaceous, at first shorter, then longer than the sepals.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens many, in 2 rings.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit yellow-green, shining.
Figures
Fig. 3, p. 10.
Habitat
Open bushland, grassland and also a weed of roadsides and of cultivation, especially on sandy soils; 0–1080 m.
Distribution
widespread in drier parts of tropical Asia and Africaintroduced into tropical America K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K7 T2 T3 T4 T6 T8 U1 U3 U4
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images