Olacaceae
Olax

Olax dissitiflora Oliv.

First published in Fl. Trop. Afr. 1: 350 (1868)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to S. Africa, Madagascar. It is a tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Olacaceae, G. Ll. Lucas. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
Small tree or shrub to 12 m. high; young branches flexuous, slightly fluted, older bark smooth, ash-grey.
Morphology Leaves
Petiole 2–8 mm. long; leaf-blade glabrous, coriaceous, dark green when mature, lanceolate to elliptic, 2.5–6 cm. long, 0.8–2.5 cm. wide, acuminate to obtuse, cuneate to ± rounded at the base; midrib prominent beneath, impressed above; secondary veins inconspicuous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers white, axillary, solitary or in short racemes; buds clavate, 5–7 mm. long; pedicels up to 1 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx cupuliform, entire, papery, accrescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, slightly hooded at the apex, 6–8 mm. long, 0.8–1.2 mm. wide, recurved when mature.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Fertile stamens 3(–4); anthers 1.2–1.8 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes
Staminodes 5, opposite the petals; filaments adnate to the petals; anther-thecae 1.5–2.5 mm. long, more elongated than fertile thecae.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 3-partite at base, unilocular at apex; style up to 4 mm. long; stigma 3-lobed, capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit an obovoid to ellipsoidal drupe, 7–9 mm. long, partially enclosed by calyx when young, and almost completely so when mature, reddish, bearing remains of persistent style.
Figures
Fig. 3/9–12.
Habitat
Normally in relic or riverine thicket, also lowland dry evergreen forest; 15–1600 m.
Distribution
T6 T7 T8 southwards as far as the Transvaal
[FTEA]

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]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/146214441/146214443

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Olacaceae, J. G. Garcia. Flora Zambesiaca 2:1. 1963

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree up to 6–12 m. tall; crown rounded, low, spreading; twigs pendulous, flexuous; bark smooth, light grey.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-lamina dull deep green, 1·5–6 × 0·5–2·5 cm., elliptic-lanceolate to ovate, obtuse or acuminate and usually mucronulate at the apex, cuneate or rounded at the base, decurrent into the petiole; midrib impressed above, somewhat prominent below; venation inconspicuous, widely reticulate; petiole 3–8 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers axillary, solitary, or in short axillary racemes, sweet-scented; buds broadly clavate, 5–7 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx membranous, truncate, with margin somewhat undulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, white, 6–8 x 0·8–1·2 mm., valvate, shortly cucullate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Fertile stamens 3–4; filaments adnate to the petals; anthers 1·2–1·6 × 0·6–0·8 mm.; staminodes 5; filaments similar to those of the fertile stamens; anthers 1·5–2·5 mm. long, divaricate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary c. 1·2 × 1·4 mm.; style up to 4 mm. long, cylindric; stigma capitate, 3–4-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit 7–9 mm. long, ellipsoid or obovoid, drupaceous, red, crowned with the persistent base of the style and enveloped nearly to the apex by the accrescent calyx.
[FZ]

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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • 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