Amaranthaceae
Dasysphaera

Dasysphaera alternifolia Chiov.

First published in Fl. Somala 1: 287 (1929)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Somalia. It grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Type
N3, Hafun, Puccioni & Stefanini 18 (FT holo.)
Morphology General Habit
Low shrub 0.25–2 m tall, much-branched with alternate leaves and branches, young branches densely white-tomentose, older branches becoming thinly so, terete and striate
Morphology Leaves
Leaves rather small, obovate to spathulate, 3–12 x 3–7 mm, ± densely white-tomentose on both surfaces or more thinly so above, when larger distinctly petiolate, apex acute to obtuse or weakly retuse, base cuneate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Partial inflorescences small, mostly of 3 fertile flowers Inflorescences to c. 7 cm long, axis densely white-tomentose
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals narrowly oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 5–7 mm, densely furnished with long, ± appressed hairs, 3-nerved, inner slightly shorter
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments expanded towards the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style c. 2–2.5 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule ovoid, c. 2.5 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Sterile flowers with the bristles long-pilose at the base or to above halfway, 6–8 mm, brownish to purplish-brown.
Distribution
N3; C1 not known elsewhere.
Ecology
Altitude range 180–550 m.
[FSOM]

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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • 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