Family:
Olacaceae Juss. ex R.Br.
Genus:
Olax L.

Olax gambecola Baill.

This species is accepted, and its native range is Tropical Africa.

[FWTA]

Olacaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit
A glabrous low shrub, up to 4 ft. high, rarely more
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers white
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Ripe fruits red
Ecology
In forest, especially by streams.

[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrub up to about 1·5 m. tall, glabrous.
Morphology Stem
Stems and branches deep green, very narrowly 4-winged, minutely papillose-scabridulous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves subsessile, dark green; lamina c. 10 × 4 cm., papyraceous, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate at the apex (acumen 1–2 cm. long, mucronulate), cuneate to rounded at the base; midrib impressed above, prominent below; lateral nerves 4–7 pairs, impressed or very slightly raised above, prominulous below; venation laxly reticulate, slightly raised on both surfaces.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers (immature) in short axillary single or fasciculate racemes; rhachis up to 2 cm. long, glabrous; bracts c. 2·5 × 1 mm., lanceolate, green with the margin hyaline, articulated at the base, soon caducous; pedicels short; buds obovoid, greenish.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx cupuliform, entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens 3; staminodes 5.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit up to 9 mm. in diam., red when ripe, drupaceous, globose; stone c. 5 mm. in diam., spheroid, smooth.

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrubs 1–3 m. high; young branches bright green, angular.
Morphology Leaves
Petiole short, 1–2 mm. long; leaf-blade dark green, papery, glabrous, broadly elliptic to lanceolate, 6–15 cm. long, 3–6 cm. wide, acuminate, cuneate to rounded at the base; midrib impressed above, prominent beneath; secondary veins 5–7 pairs, prominent beneath.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence axillary in single or fasciculate racemes; peduncle angular, 1–5 cm. long; bracts lanceolate-ovate, 1.5–5 mm. long, 0.8–1 mm. wide, greenish with a clear margin, caducous; buds obovoid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers white to yellowish-cream.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx cupuliform, minute, entire, not accrescent but persistent in fruit, ± 2 mm. in diameter.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, linear-spathulate, 2.5–4 mm. long, recurved.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Fertile stamens 3; staminodes 5, opposite and adnate to the petals; anther-thecae almost filamentous, longer than fertile anthers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary conical, 3-partite at base; style up to 2.5 cm. long; stigma capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a globose drupe, up to 1 cm. in diameter, reddish when ripe, bearing the remains of a persistent style and calyx.
Figures
Fig. 3/5–8, p. 8.
Habitat
Rain-forest and riverine forest; 1140–1350 m.
Distribution
T6 U3 U4 from Uganda westwards into West Africa and as far south as Angola. The populations from Tanganyika seem to be the relics of an earlier more widespread distribution

Native to:

Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Repu, Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf of Guinea Is., Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zaïre

Olax gambecola Baill. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Aug 1, 2009 Gosline, G. [414], Cameroon K000339832 No
Nov 1, 2008 Burgt, X.M. van der [890], Cameroon K000580455 No
Aug 1, 2005 Harvey, Y.B. [114], Cameroon K000339818 No
Aug 1, 2005 Harvey, Y.B. [187], Cameroon K000339824 No
Aug 1, 2005 Darbyshire, I. [270], Cameroon K000339821 No
Jul 1, 2001 Zapfack, L. [928], Cameroon K000108546 No
Jul 1, 2001 Cable, S. [3259], Cameroon K000108543 No
Jul 1, 2001 Etuge, M. [1632], Cameroon K000108544 No
Jul 1, 2001 Etuge, M. [1591], Cameroon K000108547 No
Dec 1, 1997 Akogo, M. [179], Cameroon K000085306 No
Jan 1, 1994 Watts, J. [887], Cameroon K000085248 No
Jan 1, 1992 Sunderland, T.C.H. [1401], Cameroon K000085254 No
Jan 1, 1992 Sunderland, T.C.H. [1330], Cameroon K000085245 No
Jan 1, 1987 Nemba, J. [48], Cameroon K000436849 No
Matonchi, R. [2940], Zambia 30208.000 No
Barter [3303], Niger Olax viridis K000226175 Yes
Preuss P. R. [352], Cameroon Olax viridis K000093918 Unknown type material Yes

First published in Adansonia 3: 121 (1862)

Accepted by

  • Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
  • Brunel, J.F., Hiepo, P. & Scholz, H. (eds.) (1984). Flore Analytique du Togo Phanérogames: 1-751. GTZ, Eschborn.
  • Catarino, L., Sampaio Martins, E., Pinto-Basto, M.F. & Diniz, M.A. (2006). Plantas Vasculares e Briófitos da Guiné-Bissau: 1-298. Instituto de investigação científica tropical, Instituto Português de apoio ao desenvolvimento.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Exell, A.W., Fernandes, A. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1963). Flora Zambesiaca 2(1): 1-351. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.
  • Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J.M. & Keay, R.W.J. (1954-1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 1-828.
  • Lejoy, J., Ndjele, M.-B. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Catalogue-flore des plantes vasculaires des districts de Kisangani et de la Tshopo (RD Congo) Taxonomania 30: 1-307.
  • Lucas, G.L. (1968). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Olacaceae: 1-15.
  • Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.
  • Sosef, M.S.M. & al. (2006). Check-list des plantes vasculaires du Gabon Scripta Botanica Belgica 35: 1-438.
  • Velayos, M., Barberá, P., Cabezas, F.J., de la Estrella, M., Fero, M. & Aedo, C. (2014). Checklist of the vascular plants of Annobón (Equatorial Guinea) Phytotaxa 171: 1-78.

Literature

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • F.T.A. 1: 349.
  • in Adansonia 3: 121 (1882–63)

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
  • Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 1: 1-114. ORSTROM, Bangui.
  • Brunel, J.F., Hiepo, P. & Scholz, H. (eds.) (1984). Flore Analytique du Togo Phanérogames: 1-751. GTZ, Eschborn.
  • Catarino, L., Sampaio Martins, E., Pinto-Basto, M.F. & Diniz, M.A. (2006). Plantas Vasculares e Briófitos da Guiné-Bissau: 1-298. Instituto de investigação científica tropical, Instituto Português de apoio ao desenvolvimento.
  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Figueiredo, E., Paiva, J., Stévart, T., Oliveira, F. & Smith, G.F. (2011). Annotated catalogue of the flowering plants of São Tomé and Príncipe Bothalia, A Journal of Botanical Research 41: 41-82.
  • Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J.M. & Keay, R.W.J. (1954-1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 1-828.
  • Lejoy, J., Ndjele, M.-B. & Geerinck, D. (2010). Catalogue-flore des plantes vasculaires des districts de Kisangani et de la Tshopo (RD Congo) Taxonomania 30: 1-307.
  • Lucas, G.L. (1968). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Olacaceae: 1-15.
  • Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.
  • Sosef, M.S.M. & al. (2006). Check-list des plantes vasculaires du Gabon Scripta Botanica Belgica 35: 1-438.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Baill. in Adansonia 3: 121 (1863).
  • F. White, Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia p. 42, fig. 9 (1962).
  • Garcia in Flora Zambesiaca 2: 334 (1963).
  • Keay in Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 647 (1958).
  • Oliv., Flora of Tropical Africa 1: 348 (1868).

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    Flora Zambesiaca
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  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    Flora of Tropical East Africa
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  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    Flora of West Tropical Africa
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  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

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  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0