Asteranthe asterias (S.Moore) Engl. & Diels

Annonaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Small tree or shrub 1.5–8 m. tall, with grey-brown or black, finely striate bark; young branchlets densely velvety with greyish, ferruginous or brownish hairs, at length glabrescent, ridged, lenticellate.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades obovate-elliptic, obovate-oblong, elliptic-lanceolate or oblong, (1.1–)4–16.5(–18) cm. long, (0.6–)2–6 cm. wide, mostly very distinctly acuminate at the apex, rarely obtuse or acute, subcordate at the base, not markedly coriaceous, glabrous and sometimes almost shining above, densely hairy beneath when very young, but soon pubescent or glabrescent; midrib and lateral nerves ± impressed above, prominent beneath; petiole 2–7 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers with an almost unpleasant scent; pedicels 3–8 mm. long; bracteoles ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–4 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide, hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals triangular orovate, 0.6–1.2 cm. long, 4–7 mm. wide, acute or acuminate, densely ferruginous hairy, persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals green at first, then creamy-white for apical three-quarters or more, then narrowly deep crimson or purplish, and thickened at the base, this thickened area creamy-yellow, longitudinally striated and grooved, linear-oblong to linear-lanceolate or narrowly triangular, 2.5–6 cm. long, 0.7–1.5(–2) cm. wide, tapering to the acute apex, connate at the base for 0.4–1 (–1.5) cm., densely pilose outside at base where connate but rest only finely puberulous or pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens cream, 1.5–2.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Carpels

Carpels green, 10–22, oblong, 2–2.5 mm. long, usually ± 10-ovuled, densely hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Monocarps several (probably 6 or so), 2–4 cm. long, 0.8–1 cm. wide, densely velvety with brown hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds yellow or yellow-brown, 7–8 mm. long, 4–5 mm. wide and thick.

Figures

Fig. 11, p. 49.

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