Strychnos mellodora S.Moore

Loganiaceae, A. J. M. Leeuwenberg. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit

Tree, 20–35 m. high.

Morphology Trunk

Trunk c. 45 cm. in diam.

Morphology General Bark

Bark thin.

Morphology Branches

Branches not or obscurely lenticellate, medium to dark brown and not sulcate when dry; branchlets glabrous, usually slightly sulcate when dry, mostly darker than in S. mitis.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with glabrous, 3–8 mm. long petioles, those of a pair joined at the base by a distinct stipular line; lamina dull, drying pale greenish–brown with dark brown, paler beneath, coriaceous, elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 2–3·5 times as long as wide, 5–12 x 2–5 cm., acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, glabrous on both sides; secondary veins 5–8 on each side; tertiary venation not very conspicuous, slightly prominent on both sides.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence axillary, usually also in the axils of the apical leaves and therefore seemingly terminal, lax, many–flowered, shorter or longer than the leaves, 3–11 x 2·5–8 cm., 3–4 times branched.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4–merous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals free, equal, broadly ovate, about 1–1·5 times as long as wide, 0·7–1·2 x 0·7–1 mm., rounded at the apex, ciliate, outside glabrous or nearly so, inside glabrous, without colleters.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla in the mature bud 2·5–4·5 x as long as the calyx 2·5–3 mm. long, and rounded at the apex, white, outside glabrous, inside densely pilose on the lobes (of which the apex sometimes glabrous); tube very short, 0·5–0·7 x as long as the calyx, 0·5–0·7 mm. long; lobes oblong, 4–5 x as long as the tube, 1·7–2 x as long as wide, 2–2·5 x 1·1–1·5 mm., acute, spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens exserted; filaments about 1–1·5 x as long as the anthers, inserted at the mouth of the corolla tube; anthers orbicular or nearly so, 0·5–0·6 x 0·5 mm., glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Pistil glabrous, 1–1–1–2 mm. long; ovary depressed–globose or–ovoid, 0·7 x 0·7 mm., 1–celled; style short, 0–4–0–5 mm. long; stigma capitate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary Placenta

One basal placenta with 2–9 ovules.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit small, globose or nearly so, 12 x 10–18 x 18 mm., one–seeded. Wall thin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed flattened, ellipsoid, 8–9 x 6–7 x 3 mm., pubescent (?).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Testa

Testa thin sticking to the pulp.

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