Bertiera racemosa (G.Don) K.Schum.

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

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit

Small tree 2.4–5 m. tall; branches angular, ± square in cross-section, almost glabrous or more usually covered with pale brown adpressed hairs, often with short white and brown streaks apparent on the bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades discolourous, large, elliptic, 10–36 cm. long and 3.5–17.7 cm. wide, apex acute to shortly acuminate, base obtuse to cuneate or sometimes cordate, with 11–14 pairs of lateral nerves, glabrous above, sparsely pubescent and with ± densely adpressed pubescence on the nerves beneath; petioles (0–)0.3–1.7 cm. long, usually covered with adpressed hairs beneath or sometimes glabrous; stipules ± ovate above, narrower at the connate portion, 1.4–4.4 cm. long and 0.6–1.6 cm. wide, connate for 0.2–1.1 cm. above the node, apex obtuse.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sessile, in ± 18-flowered fascicles, sub-sessile on a spike 4–17 cm. long; internodes 0.5–3 cm. long; peduncles 1.5–7.3 cm. long, densely adpressed hirsute, probably pendulous; bracteoles inconspicuous, ± deltoid and seldom larger than 1.2 mm. long and wide, pubescent or with the hairs confined to the margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx almost glabrous or with dense adpressed hairs on the tube, becoming sparser on the limb; tube ± cylindrical, 1.8–3 mm. long and 1.7–3.2 mm. wide; limb 1.6–3.6 mm. long, 2–5.5 mm. wide, truncate, shallowly undulate or shortly dentate, the dentations not exceeding 0.8 mm., sparsely hairy within.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or green; tube 8.5–15 mm. long, widening 5–9.5 mm. above the base, 1.4–3.8 mm. wide at base and 3.2–5.5 mm. wide at top, the wall of the lower, narrow portion distincdy lined with a whitish fawn thickened layer, glabrous or covered with adpressed hairs outside and with white or fawn, striated coarser hairs in the throat and a short distance up the lobes; lobes narrowly ovate or ovate, 2.7–5.8 mm. long and 1.4–2.3 mm. wide, long-acuminate or acute (in var. elephantina), glabrous or sparsely hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers 3.3–4.3 mm. long; apex 0.2–1.1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disc shortly conical.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style 4–9 mm. long; stigma 3.75–5.6 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Infructescences

Infructescences 4.5–17 cm. long; peduncles 4–9 cm. long; fascicles expanding to 5 cm. long; pedicels absent or accrescent and reaching 1 cm. long (in var. elephantina).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit greenish brown, ovoid, 6–11 mm. long and 6–9 mm. wide, glabrous or sparsely hairy (in var. elephantina).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 0.9–1.1 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 1/4 (but note drawing reversed, contortion should be to the left).