Pavetta gardeniifolia Hochst. ex A.Rich.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree (0.6–)1.2–7 m tall; young branches glabrous to densely pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades narrowly to broadly elliptic or oblanceolate to obovate, 1.6–12.5 × 1–6 cm, acute, obtuse, rounded or occasionally slightly emarginate at apex, glabrous to pubescent; lateral nerves in 5–8 main pairs; bacterial nodules dot-shaped to linear, scattered, usually several; petiole 1–20 mm long, glabrous to pubescent; stipule limbs subtruncate to triangular, 2–5 mm long, shortly acuminate, with silky hairs inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences borne on leafless spurs or short branches, or if these suppressed, then arising directly from main stems, moderately compact to very lax, 1.7–7 cm across (excl corollas); primary branches 0.3–1.8(–2.5) cm long, glabrous to pubescent; secondary branches very short to ± equalling primary branches; tertiary branches occasionally present; pedicels 2–22 mm long, glabrous or pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sweetly scented

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-limb (0.25–)0.5–1.25 mm long, truncate, shallowly dentate or with short triangular lobes up to 1 mm long, glabrous or occasionally sparsely hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla cream to bright yellow; tube 0.4–1.5 cm long, 1–2 mm wide at top, glabrous outside; lobes (3–)5–7 × 2–3 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 6–8 mm in diam.

Ecology

Buxus scrub or in forest, in shaded or exposed positions, often in rocky places or gullies in the north, Acacia-Commiphora bushland on red soil in the south; c. 230 m in the south, 1100–1600 m in the north.

Distribution

N1–3; S1; throughout tropical Africa, as far west as Togo, and southwards to South Africa.

Note

The material from Somalia has glabrous inflorescence-branches and pedicels and belongs to var. gardeniifolia. Var. subtomentosa K. Schum, with pubescent inflorescences, is widespread in Africa but absent from the north-eastern parts. The single collection seen from southern Somalia, O´Brien 221, has obovate leaves, whilst in the northern collections the leaves are narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate.

Vernacular

Bies, buran, eina quayeye, guro, gotimah-somih, kalahailye, medanya (Somali).

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/146456649/146456651

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree (0.6–)1.2–7 m. tall; young branches glabrous to densely pubescent; older branches covered with buff to greyish bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades usually drying green or brown, narrowly to broadly elliptic or oblanceolate to obovate, 1.6–12.5 cm. long, 1–6.1 cm. wide, apex acute, obtuse or rounded, occasionally slightly emarginate, often with small horny callous at the tip, base cuneate to attenuate, entirely glabrous to pubescent; bacterial nodules dot-shaped to linear, scattered, usually several; petiole 0.1–2 cm. long, glabrous to pubescent; stipule-limbs greenish, opaque, subtruncate to triangular, 2–5 mm. long, shortly acuminate, glabrous or pubescent outside, with silky hairs inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Corymbs terminal on short spurs (which are sometimes entirely suppressed) or on short leafless lateral branches up to 8.5 cm. long, moderately compact to very lax, 1.7–7 cm. across; peduncles 0–7 mm. long; primary inflorescence-branches 0.3–1.8(–2.5) cm. long, glabrous to pubescent; secondary branches very short or ± equalling primary branches; tertiary branches occasionally present; pedicels 0.2–2.2 cm. long, slender or ± robust, glabrous or pubescent; bracts buff-coloured, 2–5 mm. long, membranous, with sparse to dense silky hairs inside, caducous; bracteoles buff-coloured, ± translucent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube ± 1 mm. long, glabrous or pubescent; limb (0.25–)0.5–1.25 mm. long, truncate, repand or with short triangular lobes up to 1 mm. long, glabrous or occasionally sparsely hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla cream to yellow, usually drying buff or brown; tube 0.4–1.5 cm. long, 1–2 mm. wide at top, glabrous outside, not bearded at throat; lobes lanceolate to ovate, (3–)5–7 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, obtuse to shortly acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit black, 6–8 mm. in diameter, shiny.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed greyish black, 4–6 mm. wide, rugulose on convex face.

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