Pavetta nitidula Welw. ex Hiern

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

Morphology General Habit

Evergreen shrub or small tree 1–7 m tall; young branches glabrous; older branches without corky bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves glabrous; blades 4–29 × 1.5–12.4 cm, oblanceolate or narrowly to broadly elliptic, obtuse to acuminate or broadly to finely acuminate at the apex, obtuse to cuneate at the base, coriaceous, very shiny above, midrib and lateral nerves usually drying cream in colour, prominent beneath; lateral nerves in 5–8 main pairs; tertiary nerves rather coarsely reticulate, raised on both surfaces; domatia pocket-like, ciliate or sparsely pubescent; bacterial nodules linear, restricted to the midrib and less often lateral nerves; petiole 0.2–5.5 cm long; stipule limbs 2–4 mm long, truncate, sometimes corky around the margin; arista 1–6 mm long, occasionally slightly keeled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Corymbs terminal on main and lateral leafy branches, moderately compact, 3–8.5 cm across (excluding corollas); primary inflorescence branches 0.5–2.5 cm long, glabrous or rarely puberulous; secondary to tertiary branches present; pedicels up to 5 mm long, puberulous; bracts 3–4 mm long, stipule-like; bracteoles inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx puberulous, rarely sparsely puberulous; tube 1 mm long; limb-tube 0.75–1 mm long, c. 3 times wider than the tube; lobes 0.75–2 × (1.2)1.5–2.2 mm, transversely oblong-semicircular, pubescent inside, overlapping in bud.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla tube 5–7(9) mm long, (1.75)2.5 mm wide at the apex, glabrous except for the densely bearded throat; lobes 5–10 × 1.5–2.5(3.5) mm, ovate-oblong, obtuse to rounded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit purplish-red or black, (6)7–8 mm in diameter, shiny, glabrous or sparsely puberulous, calyx lobes persistent, pedicels lengthening slightly.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed blackish with light brown area around the excavation, 5 mm wide, very finely rugulose.

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

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

Morphology General Habit

Evergreen shrub or small tree 1–7 m. tall; young branches glabrous; older branches without corky bark.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves glabrous; blades oblanceolate or narrowly to broadly elliptic, 4–29 cm. long, 1.5–12.4 cm. wide, apex obtuse to acuminate or broadly to finely acuminate, base obtuse to cuneate, coriaceous, very shiny above, midrib and lateral nerves usually drying cream in colour, prominent beneath, tertiary nerves raised on both faces; bacterial nodules linear, restricted to the midrib and less often lateral nerves; petiole 0.2–5.5 cm. long; stipule-limbs truncate, 2–4 mm. long, sometimes corky around the margin; arista 1–6 mm. long, occasionally slightly keeled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Corymbs terminal on main and lateral leafy branches, moderately compact, 3–8.5 cm. across; primary inflorescence-branches 0.5–2.5 cm. long, glabrous or rarely puberulous; secondary to tertiary branches present; pedicels up to 5 mm. long, puberulous; bracts 3–4 mm. long, stipule-like; bracteoles inconspicuous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx puberulous, rarely sparsely puberulous; tube 1 mm. long; limb-tube 0.75–1 mm. long ± 3 times wider than the tube; lobes transversely oblong-semi-circular, 0.75–2 mm. long, (1.2-) 1.5–2.2 mm. wide, pubescent inside, overlapping in bud.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla-tube 5–7(–9) mm. long, (1.75–)2.5 mm. wide at top, glabrous save for the densely bearded throat; lobes ovate-oblong, 5–10 mm. long, 1.5–2.5(–3.5) mm. wide, obtuse to rounded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit purplish red or black, (6–)7–8) mm. in diameter, shiny, glabrous or sparsely puberulous, calyx-lobes persistent, pedicels lengthening slightly.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed blackish with light brown area around the excavation, 5 mm. wide, very finely rugulose.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland; 900–1500 m.

Distribution

T4