Pavetta elliottii K.Schum. & K.Krause

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs, sometimes scrambling, 0.45–2 m. tall; young branches whitish tomentose; older branches with fawnish buff thin corky bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades ovate, elliptic or rarely obovate, 2.5–6.5 cm. long, 1.5–4.7 cm. wide, apex obtuse to acuminate, rarely rounded, base cordate, less often rounded or obtuse, rarely cuneate, pubescent or scabrid-pubescent above, tomentose beneath; bacterial nodules small, dot-like, few-numerous, scattered; petiole short, 2–6 mm. long, tomentose; stipule-limbs brown, papery, truncate or occasionally broadly ovate, up to 5 mm. long, pubescent outside, with few silky hairs inside; arista 1.5–2 mm. long, hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Corymbs terminal on main and short lateral branches 0.8–15 cm. long bearing 1–3 pairs of leaves, compact, (0.8–)1.2–3 cm. across; primary inflorescence-branches up to 4 mm. long; secondary branches absent or very reduced; pedicels 0.5–2.5 mm. long, tomentose or less often sparsely pubescent; bracts 2–4 mm. long, pubescent outside; bracteoles brown, papery, small.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube 1.5–2 mm. long, sparsely to densely pubescent; limb-tube 0.75–1 mm. long, slightly wider than tube; lobes narrowly triangular to narrowly lanceolate, rarely lanceolate or narrowly triangular below and subulate above, 2–5 mm. long, (0.25–)0.5–1(–1.5) mm. wide, densely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-tube 1.5–2.8 cm. long, 1.5–2.5 mm. wide at top, glabrous to pubescent, not bearded at throat; lobes lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 5–6(–8) mm. long, 1–3 mm. wide, acute to obtuse, often shortly acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit black, 8–9 mm. in diameter, shiny, slightly hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 5 mm. wide, convex face slightly and finely rugulose.