Oxygonum fruticosum Dammer ex Milne-Redh.

Polygonaceae, I. Nogueira, S. Ortiz & J.A.R. Paiva. Flora Zambesiaca 9:3. 2006

Morphology General Habit

A shrub or scrambling plant from a woody rootstock, ± pubescent.

Morphology Stem

Stems sometimes much branched; branches ascending; bark red-brown.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile, dull green, 2–6.8 × 0.3–1.3(1.7) cm, elliptic-lanceolate, acute at the apex often mucronate, attenuate to the base, entire or slightly sinuous on the margin, with the midrib prominent beneath, ± pubescent and punctate with black dots on both surfaces.

Morphology Leaves Ocrea

Ocrea 10–15 mm long, chartaceous, thinly covered with short hairs, truncate and fringed with red-brown setae c. 8 mm long at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pedicellate, 1–3 in the axils of bracts, arranged in terminal spiciform rigid racemes c. 25 cm long; bracts 7–10 mm long, chartaceous, obliquely truncate and produced dorsally into an acute or acuminate setose apex, glabrous or ± puberulous; bracteoles 2, c. 5 mm long, hyaline with 1–2 short setae at the apex; pedicels c. 6 mm long, articulated near the apex. Male flowers not seen. Hermaphrodite flowers heterostylous; perianth wine-red outside and white inside, tubular with 5 spreading lobes; tube 6–8 mm long and slightly constricted at the apex; lobes 5–8 mm long, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate, acute or apiculate at the apex.

sex Male

Male flowers not seen.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments (1.5)4–11 mm long, filiform; anthers 1–1.3 × 0 4–0.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 7–8 mm long, ellipsoid, glabrous; styles of long-styled flowers 6–7 mm long; styles of short-styled flowers 4–5 mm shorter than the stamens.

sex Hermaphrodite

Ovary 7–8 mm long, ellipsoid, glabrous; styles of long-styled flowers 6–7 mm long; styles of short-styled flowers 4–5 mm shorter than the stamens. Filaments (1.5)4–11 mm long, filiform; anthers 1–1.3 × 0 4–0.5 mm. Hermaphrodite flowers heterostylous; perianth wine-red outside and white inside, tubular with 5 spreading lobes; tube 6–8 mm long and slightly constricted at the apex; lobes 5–8 mm long, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate, acute or apiculate at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nut red-brown at maturity, 9–12 × 4–5 mm, oblong-ellipsoid, glabrous, longitudinally sulcate and transversally wrinkled.