Turraea holstii Gürke

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

Meliaceae, Styles & F. White (Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1991

Morphology General Habit

Small tree up to 18 m. tall, more rarely a shrub, sometimes scrambling.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina lanceolate-elliptic, elliptic or oblanceolate-elliptic, usually less than 9×4 cm., lower surface almost glabrous except for a few hairs on the nerves and conspicuous tufts of short hairs in axils of the secondary nerves, apex rather suddenly, shortly and somewhat bluntly acuminate, base cuneate; petiole up to 0.9 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence an axillary (1–)2–3(–4)-flowered cyme; peduncle 0.5–2.0 cm. long; bracts small, squamiform, ± 0.1 cm. long; pedicels (0.7–)2–4.3 cm. long, very slender.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± 0.25 cm. long, denticulate, puberulous, especially on the teeth and margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals linear-spathulate, 1.4–2.5 × 0.2–0.3 cm., white, turning yellow with age, glabrous or sparsely and minutely puberulous near apex outside, or sometimes tomentellous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal tube 0.8–1.8 cm. long, slightly expanded at the throat, glabrous immediately below the anthers, otherwise densely hairy in the upper two-thirds inside; appendages shorter than the anthers, entire and truncate, emarginate or lobed in upper half, usually fused for the greater part of their length to form a frill 0.1–0.15 cm. long beyond the insertion of the filaments.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 5–6(–7)-locular, glabrous; style 1.5–3 cm. long; style-head usually ovoid, sometimes subglobose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule depressed-globose, ± 0.7 × 1 cm., shallowly sulcate, thinly woody, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds reddish black; aril red.

Figures

Fig. 1/5, p. 9.

Habitat

In montane and mid-altitude forest, both in understorey and at edges, sometimes on stream banks or in abandoned cultivation; (700–)950–2500 m.

Distribution

K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T2 T3 T5 T6 T7 T8 U1

Meliaceae, F. White and B. T. Styles. Flora Zambesiaca 2:1. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Small tree up to 15 m. tall, more rarely a shrub, sometimes scrambling; first-year branchlets shortly pubescent, second-year glabrous, mostly grey-brown, sometimes purplish, slender.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina up to 8 × 3 cm., lanceolate-elliptic to elliptic, lower surface almost glabrous except for a few hairs on the nerves and conspicuous tufts of short hairs in axils of the secondary nerves, apex shortly and somewhat bluntly acuminate, base cuneate; petiole up to 8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence an axillary 1–4-flowered cyme; peduncle 8–20 mm. long; bracts very small, 1 mm, long, squamiform; pedicels 2·5–2·75 cm. long, very slender.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers white, pendulous, jasmine-scented.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 2–3·5 mm. long, puberulous, especially on the teeth and margin.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 18–25 × 3 mm., linear-spathulate, puberulous outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal tube 15–20 mm. long, cylindric, densely hairy in the upper half inside; appendages opposite the anthers, entire and truncate or emarginate, scarcely lobed, fused for the greater part of their length to form a frill 1–1·5 mm. long beyond the insertion of the filaments.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 5–6 (7) -locular, glabrous; style 2–3 cm. long; style-head ovoid or narrowly ovoid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule depressed-globose, 7 × 10–15 mm., shallowly sulcate, woody, glabrous; aril almost completely covering seed.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/153939848/153939850

Conservation

LC - least concern