Rubiaceae
Pavetta

Pavetta macrosepala Hiern

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 3: 172 (1877)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tanzania to N. Mozambique. It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree up to 6 m. tall; young branches pubescent or glabrous, older branches covered with thin peeling corky bark.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades elliptic or slightly obovate, 4.4–10 cm. long, 2.3–6.8 cm. wide, apex acute to rounded, sometimes shortly mucronulate, base acute to obtuse, entirely glabrous or pubescent on both faces; bacterial nodules linear, restricted to midrib, few or absent; petioles 1.2–2.8 cm. long, glabrous, or pubescent; stipules broadly ovate or occasionally subtruncate, mucronulate or shortly aristate, pubescent or glabrous outside, with few silky hairs inside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Corymbs terminal on leafy branches, or sometimes with additional subterminal corymbs, lax, 3–8 cm. across, few-flowered; primary inflorescence-branches 0.6–1.5 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; secondary branches absent or present; pedicels 0.4–1.8 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; bracts stipule-like; bracteoles very reduced or absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-tube 2–3 mm. long, sparsely to densely pubescent; limb-tube (2–)3–5 mm. long; lobes lanceolate, 9–12 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, acuminate, costa prominent, sparsely pubescent to pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla-tube 4.4 cm. long, 1.25 mm. wide at top, glabrous or pubescent outside and within (see note); lobes ovate-oblong, 12–14 mm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit straw-coloured, 1.3 cm. across, shiny, pubescent or ? glabrous, calyx-lobes persistent, accrescent; pyrene white, pithy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds dull brown, 5 mm. wide, deeply wrinkled on convex face.
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree up to 6 m tall; young branches pubescent or glabrous, older branches covered with thin peeling corky bark.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf blades 4.4–10 × 2.3–6.8 cm, elliptic or slightly obovate, acute to rounded and sometimes shortly mucronulate at the apex, acute to obtuse at the base, entirely glabrous or pubescent on both surfaces; lateral nerves in 7–8 main pairs; domatia absent; bacterial nodules linear, restricted to midrib, few or absent; petioles 1.2–2.8 cm long, glabrous, or pubescent; stipules broadly ovate or occasionally subtruncate, mucronulate or shortly aristate, pubescent or glabrous outside, with few silky hairs inside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal on leafy branches, or sometimes with additional subterminal elements, lax, 3–8 cm across (excluding the corollas), few- flowered; primary inflorescence branches 0.6–1.5 cm long, glabrous or pubescent; secondary branches absent or present; pedicels 0.4–1.8 cm long, glabrous or pubescent; bracts stipule-like; bracteoles very reduced or absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tube 2–3 mm long, sparsely to densely pubescent; limb-tube (2)3–5 mm long; lobes 9–12 × 2–3 mm, lanceolate, acuminate, costa prominent, sparsely pubescent to pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tube 4.4 cm long, 1.25 mm wide at the top, glabrous or pubescent outside and within; lobes 12–14 × 3.5 mm, ovate-oblong, acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit straw-coloured, 1.3 cm across, shiny, pubescent or ?glabrous; calyx lobes persistent, accrescent; pyrene white, pithy.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds dull-brown, 5 mm wide, deeply wrinkled on convex face.
[FZ]

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: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

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/

  • 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