Swertia eminii Engl.

Gentianaceae, Sileshi Nemomissa. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2002

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb without basal leaf rosette.

Morphology Stem

Stems up to 50 cm high, branched or unbranched except for inflorescence, stem angles smooth.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile or subsessile, blade lanceolate, 15–27 mm long, 5–8 mm wide, apex obtuse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences much branched cymes, partial inflorescences many, with 5–7 or more flowers each; pedicels ± 10 mm long, pedicel of the terminal flower always shorter than pedicels of lateral flowers; bracteoles linear-lanceolate or linear, 7–10 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, apex acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4–5-merous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes unequal, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 2–3 mm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla tube very short, ± 0.8 mm long; lobes elliptic, 3–5.5 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, apex obtuse; nectaries 2 per lobe, yellow, circular, 0.4–0.5 mm in diameter, ± 0.3 mm apart, ± 1 mm from base of lobes, margin fimbriate, fimbriae 0.6–0.7 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens with filaments 3–3.2 mm long, scale-like projections present at their point of attachment to the corolla lobes; anthers oblong, ± 0.7 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary oblong or ellipsoid, 3–4 mm long; style obsolete; stigma bilobed, lobes ± 0.7 mm, obtuse, forming a crescent-shaped rim at the apex of capsule valves; parietal placentae indistinct.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule oblong, 4–5 mm long, 3 mm diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, ± 0.3 mm in diameter, surface reticulate-pitted.

Habitat

Wet grassland and edge of swamps on gravel and loam soil; 1200–2250 m

Distribution

K3 K5 U1 U2 U3

Gentianaceae, J. Paiva and I. Nogueira. Flora Zambesiaca 7:4. 1990

Morphology General Habit

Annual, erect herb. up to 50 cm. tall.

Morphology Stem

Stem slender, erect sometimes ligneous at the base, branching from the base, more rarely branching at the apex.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in distant pairs; the upper 10–30 x 2.5–5 mm., oblong or lanceolate, obtuse at the apex; narrowed into a petiole-like base; the lower ovate to elliptic, shortly petiolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4–5 merous, whitish or cream-white, in terminal and axillary 1–5 flowered corymbiform cymes, pedicellate; pedicels very variable.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx divided almost to the base; lobes very unequal, 1–3.5 x 0.25–0.5 mm., elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate acute at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla divided almost to the base; tube very short; lobes 3–5 x 2–3 mm., elliptic, obtuse at the apex, with a pair of fimbriate nectaries within, near the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted in the sinuses; filaments 3–3.5 mm. long; anthers 0.7–0.8 mm. long, oblong-ellipsoid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 3.5–4.5 mm., ellipsoid or oblong, narrowed into a short stout style; stigma subsessile, bilobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 4–5 x 2.5–3 mm., ellipsoid to narrowly so, attenuate rostrate at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 0.3–6.4 mm. in diam., subglobose; testa faveolate.