Pavetta gracillima S.Moore

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

Morphology General Habit

Small shrub 0.4–2.5 m tall; very young stems pubescent, later covered with buff to grey bark, slender.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves not fully mature at time of flowering, clustered at tips of branches, sessile to subsessile; blades 2–5.5 × 0.5–1.5 cm, narrowly obovate to obovate, acute to subacuminate or sometimes rounded at apex, narrowly cuneate and attenuate at base, sparsely pubescent to pubescent on both surfaces or sometimes glabrescent above and sparsely pubescent with denser hairs on midrib beneath; lateral nerves in c. 5 main pairs; domatia absent; bacterial nodules dot-like, scattered, often rather few, sometimes more concentrated near the midrib; stipules c. 2.5 mm long altogether, triangular acuminate, pubescent outside, those protecting new season’s buds becoming corky.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence-supporting branches 1.5–7 cm long, slender, 0.7–1 mm wide, (1)2 pairs of leaves present below inflorescence, often with a lower, usually leafless, node. Inflorescences subumbellate, 1–2 cm across (excluding corollas); primary inflorescence branches very reduced; pedicels 1–3 mm long, pubescent; bracts 2–3 mm long, membranous, pubescent outside, with a few silky hairs inside; bracteoles obscure.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 0.8–1 mm long, glabrescent to pubescent; limb-tube 0.5–1 mm long, glabrous to glabrescent; lobes 3–6.5 mm long, linear-triangular, glabrescent to pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla tube 7–14 mm long, 9–12 mm wide at the top, glabrous outside, not bearded at the throat; lobes 3.5–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm, obtuse to acuminate, occasionally rounded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit described as black but drying greyish or buff, 5–6 mm in diameter, crowned by persistent calyx limb.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Well formed seeds not known.