Brachystegia bussei Harms

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: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Tree 6–20(–?30) m. high, usually reported as slender; bark at first smooth, pale grey, flaking thinly, exposing yellow or buff patches, becoming darker and often rough near base (when burnt?); crown rounded or flattish, rather loose; branches slender; foliage pendulous, maturing bright green.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets usually soon rusty.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules free, linear to ovate-oblong or falcate, often subfoliaeeous, 0.5–2.5 cm. long, usually caducous; auricles 0.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves glabrous or rarely puberulous, with (2–)3–4 widely spaced pairs of leaflets, the distal pairs usually larger; petiole (1.5–)2–3(–4) cm. long, slender; rhachis (2–)4–8(–12) cm. long, slender, channelled; stipellar expansions usually semilunar, sometimes obscure; leaflets narrowly ovate to falcate, (2.5–)4–8(–10) × (1–)1.5–4(–5) cm., obtuse or retuse at apex, often acuminate, ± obliquely subcordate to cuneate at base; midrib subcentral; basal fanwise nerves 2–3(–4).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicles terminal or terminal and axillary, up to 5 × 5 cm., ± puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers small, greenish-white; bracteoles 4–6(–7) × 3–4(–5) mm., finely sericeous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals usually all sepaloid, imbricate, outer (4–)5(–6), up to 2 × 1.7 mm., very shortly ciliate, inner 0 or 1–4, narrow.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens ± 10; filaments free or irregularly connate at base, 7–10 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 2–2.5 × 1 mm., subdensely crispate-setose; style 6–9 mm. long, stigma prominent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod thinly woody, up to 15 × 3.5 cm., smooth, pale to mid-brown, ± pruinose; sutural wings thin, revolute- each 6–8 mm. wide.

Figures

Fig. 35/2, p. 160.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland, widespread, but local and usually a pure dominant; 240–1700 m. Typically on poor, dry, steep, rocky slopes, notably coarse soils from quartzites, schists and granite, but sometimes on heavy reddish soils; locally common with B. microphylla and B. utilis or B. boehmii and Julbemardia globiflora.

Distribution

T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Zambezian woodland

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Tree

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit

Tree to 20 m tall; bark smooth, flaking in large thin irregular scales.

Morphology Branches

Young branchlets puberulous or glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 5–10 cm long; petioles (15)20–45 mm long; rachis deeply canaliculate above, with raised and winged margins; leaflets in 2–4 widely spaced pairs, 2–3 times longer than broad, increasing in size distally, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the proximal leaflet pairs 3.5–8 × 1.5–4 cm, the middle ones 5–8.5 × 2–3.5 cm, the distal ones 6–10 × 2.5–4.5 cm, ovate, elliptic or lanceolate, often falcate, acuminate, acute, obtuse or emarginate at the apex, obliquely cuneate at the base, midvein central or subcentral, 2–3 secondary veins from the proximal leaflet base.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules caducous, free, erect, 8–30 × 1.8–12 mm, linear, lanceolate or falcate; auricles absent.

Morphology General Buds

Dormant axillary buds globose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences in terminal and/or axillary panicles to 6 cm long; bracts up to 3 × 3 mm, ovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers up to 5 × 4 mm, pubescent; pedicels up to 2 mm long; bracteoles 4–7 × 3–5 mm, obovate or circular, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 5, 2–3 × 1–1.5 mm, ovate or oblong, imbricate or valvate, ciliate on the margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 1–4, up to 2 × 1 mm, filiform or linear.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10, shortly united at the base, filaments 5–10 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 2–3 × 1.5 mm, densely pubescent, up to 7-ovulate; style up to 8 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods 6–15 × 2–4 cm, oblong to obovate, rounded at the apex, ventral fringes suberect or revolute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds not seen.