Rubiaceae
Didymosalpinx

Didymosalpinx norae (Swynn.) Keay

First published in Bull. Jard. Bot. État Bruxelles 28: 64 (1958)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. Tropical Africa, Chimanimani Mountains. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

Rubiaceae, D.M.Bridson & B.Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 5:3. 2003

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree 1–4.5(9) m tall; bark smooth green and grey; branches often somewhat scandent; spines paired.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf blades 4.5–14 × 1.5–5.5 cm, elliptic, shortly acutely acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, olive-green on drying, often shiny; domatia small, hairy; petioles 2–10 mm long; stipules 1–4 mm long, broad, mostly with a short apiculum (Swynnerton’s 14 mm is presumably an error).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in both axils of each node, successively decussate, said to be fragrant at night; pedicel 1–3.5 cm long; bracts absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tube 3–4 mm long, turbinate; limb-tube 2 mm long; lobes 3–6 × 1–1.5 mm, linear or very narrowly linear-triangular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla cream-coloured or white, tinged green; tube 4.5–7.5 cm long, 2.8–3.3 cm wide at the throat; lobes (1)2 × 2 cm, broadly ovate-elliptic.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary with several ovules embedded within the 2 placentas; style pilose for about 2.5 cm at its middle, 5–6 cm long, swollen into a white club-shaped pollen presenter for over 1.5 cm at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit pale green or white with deep green longitudinal lines, 2–3.3 × 1.7–2.3 cm, globose or ellipsoid, c. 10-ribbed, crowned by the persistent calyx limb.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds pale ochraceous, 11 mm in diameter and 3–4 mm thick, irregularly circular, very compressed, covered with a fibrous coat.
[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrub 1–4.5(–8) m. tall or sometimes a small tree to 10 m.; branches often somewhat scandent; spines paired.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades elliptic, 4.5–14(–17) cm. long, 1.5–5.5(–7) cm. wide, shortly acutely acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, olive-green on drying, often shiny; domatia small, hairy; petioles 0.2–1 cm. long; stipules broad, 1–4 mm. long, mostly with a short apiculum (Swynnerton’s 14 mm. is presumably an error).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in each axil of each node or frequently supra-axillary, said to be fragrant at night; peduncle 1–3.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-tube turbinate, 3–4 mm. long; tubular part of the limb 2 mm. long; lobes linear or very narrowly linear-triangular, 3–6 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla cream or white, tinged green; tube 4.5–7.5 cm. long; 2.8–3.3 cm. wide at the throat; lobes broadly ovate-elliptic, (1–)2 cm. long, 2 cm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary with several ovules embedded in the 2 placentas; style pilose for ± 2.5 cm. at its middle, 5–6 cm. long, swollen into a white club for over 1.5 cm. at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit pale green or white with deep green longitudinal lines, globose or ellipsoid, 2–3.3 cm. long, 1.7–2.3 cm. wide, ± 10-ribbed, crowned by the persistent calyx-limb.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds pale ochraceous, irregularly orbicular, very compressed, 1.1 cm. in diameter, 3–4 mm. thick, covered with a fibrous coat.
Figures
Fig. 85.
Habitat
Evergreen forest, secondary forest, forest edges; 190–810m.
Distribution
K7 T3 T6 T8
[FTEA]

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
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/168476731/169378383

Conservation
NT - near threatened
[IUCN]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0