Canthium inerme (L.f.) Kuntze

Rubiaceae, D. Bridson. Flora Zambesiaca 5:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree 1–10(14) m tall, occasionally said to be scandent, often armed with paired supra-axillary spines, glabrous; bark light grey to fawn-coloured.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves restricted to new growth at apex of stems, not usually fully mature at time of flowering; blades 3–10 × 1.3–4.5 cm, narrowly to broadly elliptic, obtuse to acute or subacuminate at apex, usually cuneate at base, papery, often discolorous, drying brownish above and glaucous green beneath; lateral nerves in 4 main pairs; tertiary nerves apparent, at least near the margin; domatia glabrous to pubescent; petioles 5–13 mm long; stipules 2–4 mm long, shortly sheathing then broadly triangular, usuallyapiculate, with dense white hairs inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5-merous; borne in shortly pedunculate 4–40-flowered cymes with rather reduced branches; peduncles 0.5–5(7) mm long, glabrous; pedicels 3–7 mm long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 1–1.25 mm long, glabrous; limb a dentate rim scarcely equalling the disk.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla cream to yellowish; tube 2–3 mm long, pubescent at throat; lobes 2–3 × 1–2 mm, triangular to ovate, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style shortly but distinctly exserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter 0.75–1 × 0.75–1 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 12–15 × 9–10 mm, narrowly oblong-ovoid, scarcely bilobed or indented.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Pyrene

Pyrene 12–13 × 4–5 mm, ellipsoid with ventral face flattened or oblong-ellipsoid, with a crest along the ventral face above the truncate point of attachment, rugulose.