Otiophora stolzii (Verdc.) Verdc.

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial tufted or cushion herb 10–22 cm. tall, with up to ± 25 simple or branched erect or suberect mostly bifariously pubescent stems from a woody rootstock.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves paired; blades narrowly elliptic or linear- to elliptic-lanceolate, 0.7–2 cm. long, 1.3–8 mm. wide, subacute or obtuse at the apex, rounded or cuneate at the base, usually with revolute margins, pubescent with short bristly hairs above and with longer hairs on the midvein above and beneath or practically glabrous on both surfaces; petiole obsolete or up to 1 mm. long; stipules with 3–4 subulate fimbriae 0.5–2 mm. long from a short base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in small terminal heads ± 1 cm. long and wide which in the fruiting stage elongate to 1–3 cm., or very few at the apices of the shoots.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube ovoid, 0.8 mm. long, densely pilose with white hairs; lobes 4–5, 1–2 foliaceous, 2–6 mm. long, 0.5–2 mm. wide, similar in shape and indumentum to the leaf-blades, rest setiform, up to 0.8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla rose, pale blue, white, lilac or pink; buds with limb abruptly expanded into an ovoid head, glabrous or with a few bristly hairs at the apex; tube narrowly filiform, (3–)4.5–5.5 mm. long, 0.2 mm. wide, glabrous; lobes 4–5, lanceolate, 2.2–2.8 mm. long, 0.8–1 mm. wide, glabrous or with a few hairs outside at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 4–5, exserted for usually just over half the length of the corolla-lobes; filaments glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style filiform, stigma bifid (rarely trifid), lobes filiform 1.5 mm. long; style and stigma together exserted for about the length of the corolla lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits elongate-ovoid, 2.2–2.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide, spreading hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds brown, oblong, 1.5–1.9 mm. long, 0.9–1.1 mm. wide, granulate, slightly keeled dorsally and with an oblong depression around the hilum.

Habitat

Grassland in rocky places in rock crevices and also recorded from a “muddy bank”; 2000–2520(–2700) m.

Distribution

T4 T7

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 5:1. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Perennial tufted or cushion-forming herb with up to c. 25 stems from a somewhat woody rootstock.

Morphology Stem

Stems 10–20 cm. long, erect or suberect, often unbranched, mostly with 2 rows of hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves decussate; blades (7)10–20 x 1.3–6 mm., elliptic to linear-lanceolate, glabrous or sometimes a little hairy above; petioles subobsolete or to c. 1 mm. long; stipular sheath with 3 filiform setae to c. 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence several-flowered, head-like, c. 1 cm. in diam. when in flower, somewhat elongated when in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx: enlarged, foliaceous lobe(s) 1(2), 3–6 x 1–2 mm., elliptic to linear-lanceolate, often glabrous, setiform lobes less than 1 mm. long.

Morphology General Buds

Bud with limb abruptly expanded into an ovoid head.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, pink, lilac or pale blue, tube 3.5–5.5 mm. long, filiform, glabrous, lobes 2–3 x 0.8–1 mm., lanceolate, sometimes a little hairy outside, filaments c. 1–2 mm. long, glabrous, anthers to c. 0.7 mm. long; style 5–6 mm. long, stigma lobes 1–1.5 mm. long; ovary c. 1 x 1 mm., densely hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit yellowish brown to dark brown; mericarps 2–2.5 x 1–1.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed brown, c. 1.5–2 x 0.8–1.2 mm., oblong, dorsal side convex, slightly keeled, ventral side ± flat.