Amaranthaceae
Centemopsis

Centemopsis conferta (Schinz) Suess.

First published in Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. München 6: 187 (1953)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to Zambia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb 0.2–1 m. tall, simple below the inflorescence or with numerous divaricate-ascending branches in the lower part of the stem.
Morphology Stem
Stem and branches wiry, terete below in large plants, more usually conspicuously striate with pale ridges and green furrows, glabrous or thinly pilose in the younger parts and about the nodes.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves narrowly linear to filiform, 2–7 × 0.1–0.4 cm., glabrous or thinly pilose, usually scabrid at least along the revolute margins, attenuate at each end, distinctly mucronate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences solitary and terminal or 2–4 on lateral branches, stout and very dense, spicate, (1–)1.7–8 × (0.6–)0.8–1.2 cm., greenish-white to brownish-pink or red; axis densely lanate, almost concealed by the patent-ascending dense persistent bracts.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts concave, narrowly oblong and almost parallel-sided to spathulate, ± 3–4 mm., membranous, abruptly narrowed to the short arista formed by the excurrent nerve, glabrous or sparingly pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles narrowly lanceolate-oblong, shortly mucronate, only ± 1/2 as long as the perianth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in the axils of the bracts, slightly compressed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals oblong, 3–3.5 mm., gradually diminishing in width inwards, the 4 outer strongly 5-nerved, the innermost usually 3-nerved, all glabrous and broadly hyaline-margined above the middle, scarcely mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Filaments delicate, ± 2 mm., the pseudostaminodes ± 1 mm., narrowly oblong, fimbriate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary oblong-ellipsoid, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style slender, ± 1.5 mm., symmetrically placed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule oblong-ellipsoid, ± 1.5 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed oblong-ellipsoid, shining brown, feebly reticulate, ± 1.25 mm.
Habitat
Grassland and light scrub, cultivated ground, cleared Acacia, Commiphora thickets and open Brachystegia woodland on hardpan and sand; 855–1180 m.
Distribution
T1 T4 T5 T7 T8
[FTEA]

Amaranthaceae, C. C. Townsend. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style slender, c. 1.5 mm. long, symmetrically placed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule oblong-ellipsoid, c. 1.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed oblong-ellipsoid, shining brown, feebly reticulate, c. 1.25 mm. long.
Morphology General Habit
Annual herb 0.2–1 m. tall, simple below the inflorescence or with numerous divaricate-ascending branches in the lower part of the stem.
Morphology Stem
Stem and branches wiry, terete below in large plants, more usually conspicuously striate with pale ridges and green furrows, glabrous or thinly pilose in the younger parts and about the nodes.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves narrowly linear to filiform, 2–7 × 0.1–0.4 cm., glabrous or thinly pilose, usually scabrid at least along the revolute margins, attenuate at each end, distinctly mucronate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences solitary and terminal or 2–4 on lateral branches, stout and very dense, spicate, (1)1.7–8 × (0.6)0.8–1.2 cm., greenish-white to brownish-pink or red; axis densely lanate, almost concealed by the patent-ascending, dense, persistent bracts.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts concave, narrowly oblong and almost parallel-sided to spathulate, c.3–4 mm. long, membranous, abruptly narrowed to the short arista formed by the excurrent nerve, glabrous or sparingly pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles narrowly lanceolate-oblong, often notched above, sharply aristate, c., one half to three quarters as long as the perianth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in the axils of the bracts, slightly compressed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals 3–3.5 mm. long, oblong, gradually diminishing in width inwards, the 4 outer strongly 5-nerved, the innermost usually 3-nerved, all glabrous and broadly hyaline-margined above the middle, scarcely mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Filaments delicate, c. 2 mm. long, the pseudostaminodes c. 1 mm. long, narrowly oblong, fimbriate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary oblong-ellipsoid, glabrous.
[FZ]

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]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. 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 2026. 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