- Family:
- Polygonaceae Juss.
- Genus:
- Oxygonum Burch. ex Campd.
Oxygonum sinuatum (Hochst. & Steud. ex Meisn.) Dammer

[FZ]
Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.
- Type
- Type from Ethiopia.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
- Styles 2 mm long, connate at the base for c. 0.5 mm; stigmas of long-styled flowers reaching only to the tip of the anthers or to slightly beyond, stigmas of short-styled flowers reaching or nearly reaching the anther bases
- Ecology
- Sandy roadsides, disturbed soils, sandy soils on stream banks and woodlands; 450–1600 m.
- Note
- This species may be confused with O. stuhlmannii and O. atriplicifolium. O sinuatum is an annual while O. stuhlmannii is a perennial herb; in O. atriplicifolium the flowers are strongly heterostylous and the pedicels are filiform and reflexed in fruit while in O. sinuatum the pedicels are stout, c. 5 mm long and ± erect or spreading in fruit.
- Distribution
- Mozambique Malawi Zimbabwe Botswana Caprivi Strip Zambia BOT N, BOT SE, ZAM B, ZAM N, ZAM W, ZAM C, ZAM E, ZAM S, ZIM N, ZIM W, ZIM C, ZIM E, ZIM S, MAL N, MAL C, MAL S, MOZ N, MOZ T, MOZ GI, MOZ M Widespread in tropical eastern Africa from Sudan and Ethiopia southwards to Namibia and South Africa, also in Dem. Rep. Congo and Angola. Sandy roadsides, disturbed soils, sandy soils on stream banks and woodlands; 450–1600 m.
- Morphology General Habit
- A diffuse, erect or decumbent annual herb. A diffuse, erect or decumbent annual herb
- Morphology Stem
- Stems green to reddish-brown, up to c. 1 m tall, branched, longitudinally striate, glabrous or pubescent. Stems green to reddish-brown, up to c. 1 m tall, branched, longitudinally striate, glabrous or pubescent
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves petiolate, lamina 4–8 × 1–3 cm, ovate to ovate-elliptic or ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate in outline, usually deeply incised with 1–3 rounded or acute lobes on each side, often panduriform or lyrate, narrowed to each end, midrib prominent beneath; petioles 1–2 cm long. Leaves petiolate, lamina 4–8 × 1–3 cm, ovate to ovate-elliptic or ovate-lanceolate to elliptic.lanceolate in outline, usually deeply incised with 1–3 rounded or acute lobes on each side, often panduriform or lyrate, narrowed to each end, midrib prominent beneath; petioles 1–2 cm long
- Morphology Leaves Ocrea
- Ocrea reddish, up to c. 5.5 mm long, truncate and fringed with setae at the apex. Ocrea reddish, up to c. 5.5 mm long, truncate and fringed with setae at the apex
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers pedicellate, 2–5 in the axil of each bract, arranged in spiciform terminal or axillary racemes up to 28–45 cm long, sometimes longer; bracts up to c. 6 mm apart, obliquely truncate, acute or acuminate with a fringe of setae at the apex; pedicels of hermaphrodite flowers stout and 4–5 mm long, pedicels of male flowers filiform and withering. Flowers pedicellate, 2–5 in the axil of each bract, arranged in spiciform terminal or axillary racemes up to 28–45 cm long, sometimes longer; bracts up to c. 6 mm apart, obliquely truncate, acute or acuminate with a fringe of setae at the apex; pedicels of hermaphrodite flowers stout and 4–5 mm long, pedicels of male flowers filiform and withering Hermaphrodite flowers slightly heterostylous; perianth white or pink, 4–5-lobed; tube 1–1.5 mm long; lobes 2.5–3(4) mm long and ovate-elliptic. Filaments 2 mm long in long-styled flowers, 1.5 mm long in short-styled flowers Male flowers not seen Hermaphrodite flowers slightly heterostylous; perianth white or pink, 4–5-lobed; tube 1–1.5 mm long; lobes 2.5–3(4) mm long and ovate-elliptic. Male flowers not seen.
- sex Male
- Male flowers not seen.
- sex Hermaphrodite
- Hermaphrodite flowers slightly heterostylous; perianth white or pink, 4–5-lobed; tube 1–1.5 mm long; lobes 2.5–3(4) mm long and ovate-elliptic. Styles 2 mm long, connate at the base for c. 0.5 mm; stigmas of long-styled flowers reaching only to the tip of the anthers or to slightly beyond, stigmas of short-styled flowers reaching or nearly reaching the anther bases. Filaments 2 mm long in long-styled flowers, 1.5 mm long in short-styled flowers.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
- Filaments 2 mm long in long-styled flowers, 1.5 mm long in short-styled flowers.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
- Styles 2 mm long, connate at the base for c. 0.5 mm; stigmas of long-styled flowers reaching only to the tip of the anthers or to slightly beyond, stigmas of short-styled flowers reaching or nearly reaching the anther bases.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Nut 5–7 mm long, fusiform, trigonous, pubescent or papillose, rarely glabrous, usually erect or spreading, seldom pendulous, with 3 spreading prickles 1.5–2 mm long on the angles, centrally or sometimes just below the middle, rarely with 3 smaller prickles on the faces between the angles. Nut 5–7 mm long, fusiform, trigonous, pubescent or papillose, rarely glabrous, usually erect or spreading, seldom pendulous, with 3 spreading prickles 1.5–2 mm long on the angles, centrally or sometimes just below the middle, rarely with 3 smaller prickles on the faces between the angles.
[FTEA]
Polygonaceae, R. A. Graham. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958
- Morphology General Habit
- A diffuse, decumbent or erect, weedy annual.
- Morphology Stem
- Stems glabrous to pubescent, green to reddish brown.
- Morphology Leaves Ocrea
- Ocreae reddish, up to 5.5 mm. long, truncate, usually fringed with setae, the leaf inserted in the upper half and often near the apex.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves petiolate, in outline ovate, ovate-elliptic, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, but usually deeply incised with rounded or acute lobes, often panduriform or lyrate, narrowed to each end, commonly 4 × 1.5 cm., but up to 6 × 2.7 cm., usually pustular on the undersurface, otherwise glabrous or shortly pilose on the veins.
- Morphology Leaves Petiole
- Petioles 1–2 cm. long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescence variably elongated, up to 28 cm. long (or more?), the stalk up to 2 mm. thick.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
- Bracts up to 6 cm. apart, fringed with setae.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
- Pedicels of hermaphrodite flowers stumpy, scarcely filiform, exceeding the bracts by 0–1 (–3) mm.; those of male flowers ± filiform, withering.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers white or pink, slightly heterostylous, i.e. long-styled stigmas reaching only to the tips of the anthers or to slightly beyond, and short-styled stigmas reaching to or nearly to the anther bases (see Fig. 5/9).
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
- Tepals ovate-elliptic, 2.5–3 mm. long; tube 1–1.5 mm. long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruit fusiform, (1–) 2–4 to each bract, erect or spreading but scarcely pendulous, 5.0–6.5 mm. long when mature, pubescent or papillose, more rarely glabrous, with three spreading prickles 1.5–1.75 (–2) mm. long arising on the angles centrally or more often from just below the middle (rarely with 3 smaller, intervening prickles on the faces).
- Habitat
- Cultivated and other ground suited to weed growth; 0–2100 m.
- Distribution
- eastern Africa from Sudan southwards, K2 K3 K4 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 U1
[FSOM]
M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS
- Morphology General Habit
- Annual, erect or decumbent herb, glabrous or shortly pubescent
- Morphology Leaves Stipules
- Ochreae with up to c. 3 mm long setae at the margin
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaf-blade narrowly to broadly ovate or elliptic, usually ± deeply lobed, 2–4(–6) x 1–1.5(–2.7) cm, acute to obtuse at the apex, attenuate at the base, glabrous or shortly pubescent on veins; petiole 10–20 mm long
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Inflorescences 8–28 cm long; fruiting pedicels only slightly exceeding the bracts, erect or somewhat spreading
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers white or pink, slightly heterostylous; perianth c. 4 mm long
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruits 1–4 to each bract, erect or spreading, 5–7 mm long, pubescent, papillose or glabrous, with the spreading prickles, 1.5–2 mm long, near the middle, sometimes with 3 smaller prickles as well.
- Distribution
- N1; S1–3; widespread in eastern Africa from Sudan and southwards.
- Ecology
- Altitude range 50–1350 m.
- Vernacular
- Cabla dured (Somali).
Native to:
Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Caprivi Strip, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Socotra, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
Introduced into:
Cape Verde, India, Mauritius
Oxygonum sinuatum (Hochst. & Steud. ex Meisn.) Dammer appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 1, 1987 | Schimper [264], Ethiopia | K000244040 | isotype | Yes | |
Jan 1, 1987 | Kotschy [117], Eritrea | K000244042 | isotype | Yes | |
Jan 1, 1987 | Kotschy [94], Eritrea | K000244043 | Yes | ||
Milne-Redhead, E. [11305], Tanzania | 21945.000 | No | |||
Schimper [264], Ethiopia | K000244041 | isotype | Yes |
First published in H.G.A.Engler & K.A.E.Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. 3(1a): 30 (1892)
Accepted by
- Akeroyd, J.R. (2013). Docks and Knotweeds of Britain and Ireland: 1-258. Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.
- Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1994). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 1: 1-336. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.
- Bosser, J. & al. (eds.) (1994). Flore des Mascareignes 136-148: 1. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
- Boulos, L. (1999). Flora of Egypt 1: 1-419. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
- Collenette, S. (1999). Wildflowers of Saudi Arabia: 1-799. National commission for wildlife conservation and development (NCWCD), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- 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.
- Dobignard, A. & Chatelain, C. (2013). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 5: 1-451. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
- Edwards, S., Tadesse, M., Demissew, S. & Hedberg, I. (eds.) (2000). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 2(1): 1-532. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
- Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Graham, R.A. (1958). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Polygonaceae: 1-40.
- Lewalle, J. (1970). Liste floristique et répartition altitudinale de la flore du Burundi occidental: 1-84. Université officielle de Bujumbura.
- Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
- Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
- Pope, G.V., Polhill, R.M. & Martins, E.S. (eds.) (2006). Flora Zambesiaca 9(3): 1-277. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Robyns, W. & al. (eds.) (1948-1963). Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi 1-10.
- Thulin, M. (ed.) (1993). Flora of Somalia 1: 1-493. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Literature
Flora Zambesiaca
- Banda & Morris, Common Weeds Malawi: 112, fig. (1986). TAB. 8, fig. A.
- Bull. Jard. Bot. État 17: 163 (1944)
- Burtt Davy, Fl. Pl. Ferns Transvaal, part 1: 167 (1926).
- Engler, Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas C: 170 (1895).
- F.C.B. 1: 406, t. 39 (1948).
- F.T.E.A., Polygonaceae: 34 (1958).
- Kew Bull. 12: 159 (1957)
- Prodr. Fl. SW. Afrika, fam. 23: 4 (1969).
Kew Backbone Distributions
- (2019). https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23818107.2019.1652848. epublication.
- Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1994). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 1: 1-336. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.
- Bosser, J. & al. (eds.) (1994). Flore des Mascareignes 136-148: 1. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
- Boulos, L. (1999). Flora of Egypt 1: 1-419. Al Hadara Publishing, Cairo.
- Collenette, S. (1999). Wildflowers of Saudi Arabia: 1-799. National commission for wildlife conservation and development (NCWCD), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- 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.
- Edwards, S., Tadesse, M., Demissew, S. & Hedberg, I. (eds.) (2000). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 2(1): 1-532. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
- Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola. Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Graham, R.A. (1958). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Polygonaceae: 1-40.
- Lewalle, J. (1970). Liste floristique et répartition altitudinale de la flore du Burundi occidental: 1-84. Université officielle de Bujumbura.
- Miller, A.G. & Morris, M. (2004). Ethnoflora of Soqotra Archipelago: 1-759. The Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
- Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
- Pope, G.V., Polhill, R.M. & Martins, E.S. (eds.) (2006). Flora Zambesiaca 9(3): 1-277. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Thulin, M. (ed.) (1993). Flora of Somalia 1: 1-493. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Troupin, G. (ed.) (1978). Flora du Rwanda 1: 1-413. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.
- Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flora of Somalia
- Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. Thulin [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- Dammer in Die Pflanzenwelt Ost-Afrikas und der Nachbargebiete, Theile C: 170 (1895).
- Robyns, Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi, 1: 406 (1948).
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