Amaranthaceae
Celosia

Celosia polystachya (Forssk.) C.C.Towns.

First published in Hooker's Icon. Pl. 38(2): 23 (1975)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Tropical Africa to Kenya, Arabian Peninsula. It is a scrambling shrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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
[AERP]

Amaranthaceae, C.C. Townsend. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1985

Morphology General Habit
Suffrutescent herb, bushy or scandent, ± 1–4 m.
Morphology Stem
Stem and branches subterete, finely striate, glabrous or with a few very scattered multicellular hairs, for a variable length below the inflorescence with a glaucous waxy bloom.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves broadly lanceolate- to subcordate-ovate, acute or shortly acuminate, glabrous or with scattered short multicellular hairs on the lower surface, especially near the base; lamina of the leaves from the central part of the stem 2.5–8 × 1.8–4.5 cm., very shortly cuneate to truncate or subcordate at the base, with a 1.3 cm. petiole; upper and branch leaves smaller, often narrower, more shortly petiolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence of axillary simple or branched spike-like condensed thyrses ± 6–21 cm. long, formed of usually ± distant ± 1–8-flowered clusters 1–8 mm. in diameter, with a broad terminal leafless panicle up to ± 35 cm. long at the ends of the branches, formed of similar thyrses.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts and bracteoles broadly deltoid, acute, 1.25–2 mm., membranous with a dark vitta along the central nerve, ciliate with multicellular hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-segments elliptic-oblong, 2 mm., acute, subcucullate at the apex, 1-nerved with a dark vitta along the nerve, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Free portion of filaments much longer than the very short sheath, sinuses rounded with no intermediate teeth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigmas 2–3, longer than the style
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2–4-ovulate [6–7(–11)-ovulate in one gathering from Somalia, described as var. pluriovulata Suesseng.].
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ovoid, included, rounded and faintly rugose-incrassate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds ± 1 mm., compressed, black, shining, with a very fine reticulate pattern.
Habitat
In clay depressions, in deciduous bushland on rocky slopes and along banks of watercourses; 400–1060 m.
Distribution
K1 K3
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 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 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0