Plumbago ciliata Engl. ex Wilmot-Dear

Plumbaginaceae, C. M. Wilmot-Dear. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit

Herb to 45 cm. high.

Morphology Stem

Stems bearing closely spaced longitudinal ridges, 2–4 per mm., sparse short weak hairs and abundant rigid hairs up to 2 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile, amplexicaul, obovate, up to 23 cm. long, 9 cm. wide, obtuse, somewhat chartaceous, with rigid hairs up to 2 mm. long arising from margins and from major and minor veins on both surfaces; midrib, major and minor veins very prominent on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Peduncles bearing sparse short weak hairs and abundant small shortly stalked glands; stalks thin, not rigid, 0.25–1 mm. long; pedicels 1–2 mm. long, bearing stalked glands as on peduncles; outer bract ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1–2 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide, acute, bearing sparse short hairs on both surfaces and stalked glands beneath, inner pair broadly ovate with dentate margins, up to 1 mm. long and wide, scarious.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 8–9 mm. long, 1.5–2 mm. wide, prominently ribbed, very densely covered with stalked glands; stalks stout, 1–1.25 mm. long, glands very small; calyx-teeth up to 3–4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-tube 13–15 mm. long; lobes up to 9 mm. long, 8 mm. broad.

Figures

Fig. 3/7, p. 7.

Habitat

Brachystegia woodland; ± 500 m.

Distribution

T8 not known elsewhere