Rubiaceae
Pavetta

Pavetta schumanniana F.Hoffm. ex K.Schum.

First published in H.G.A.Engler, Pflanzenw. Ost-Afrikas, C: 389 (1895)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Cameroon to Tanzania and KwaZulu-Natal. It is a subshrub, shrub or tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Dwarf rhizomatous shrub or small tree 0.4–8.4 m. tall, branched or occasionally with unbranched stems; young branches pubescent; older branches covered with greyish or brown slightly corky cracking bark.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves paired or ? ternate, borne at the apex of the branches; blades oblanceolate to obovate, 3–20.2 cm. long, 1.3–8 cm. wide, apex rounded or less often obtuse or emarginate, base cuneate, often bullate, pubescent or scabrid above, greyish tomentose and with prominent nerves beneath; bacterial nodules, inconspicuous, dot-shaped, scattered; petiole 2–17 mm. long, tomentose; stipule-limbs triangular, gradually attenuated or caudate, up to 9 mm. long, pubescent outside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Corymbs terminal on suppressed or very abbreviated leafless lateral branches up to 1.7 cm. long, often crowded, moderately compact to lax, (1.1–)2–5 cm. across, occasionally shortly pedunculate; primary inflorescence-branches 0.2–2 cm. long, pubescent; secondary and tertiary branches present; pedicels 0.5–5 mm. long, pubescent; bracts stipule-like, 3–7 mm. long; bracteoles brown, membranous, inconspicuous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx pubescent-tomentose; tube 1–2 mm. long; limb-tube 0.5–1.25 mm. long; lobes triangular to shortly triangular or occasionally ovate, 0.5–2 mm. long, 0.75–1.25 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla-tube 5–11 mm. long, ± 1.5 mm. wide at top, pubescent or sometimes glabrous outside, not bearded at throat; lobes oblong-oblanceolate, 3–5 mm. long, 1.5–2(–2.5) mm. wide, obtuse to rounded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit black, 5–7 mm. in diameter, shiny, sparsely hairy; calyx-limb persistent; pedicels accrescent, reaching 15 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed dark grey, 5 mm. wide, convex face ± smooth.
Habitat
In wooded grassland and Brachystegia woodland; 360–2400 m.
Distribution
T1 T2 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8
[FTEA]

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
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/146201470/146201472

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or small tree 1–4(7) m tall or rarely a rhizomatous shrub 0.45 m tall; young branches pubescent; older branches covered with greyish or brown slightly corky cracking bark.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves paired or ternate, borne at the apex of the branches; blades (3)6–20 × 2–8 cm, oblanceolate to obovate, rounded or less often obtuse or emarginate at the apex, cuneate at the base, often bullate, pubescent or scabrid above, greyish tomentose beneath; lateral nerves in 9–12 main pairs, prominent beneath; domatia absent; bacterial nodules inconspicuous, dot-like, scattered; petiole 2–17 mm long, tomentose; stipule limbs up to 9 mm long, triangular, gradually attenuate or caudate, pubescent outside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences terminal on suppressed or very abbreviated leafless lateral branches up to 1.7 cm long, often crowded, moderately compact to lax, (1)2–5 cm across (excluding corollas), occasionally shortly pedunculate; primary inflorescence branches 0.2–2 cm long, pubescent; secondary and tertiary branches present; pedicels 0.5–5 mm long, pubescent; bracts stipule-like, 3–7 mm long; bracteoles brown, membranous, inconspicuous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx pubescent; tomentose; tube 1–2 mm long; limb-tube 0.5–1.25 mm long; lobes 0.5–1(2) × 0.75–1.25 mm, shortly triangular to triangular or occasionally ovate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tube 5–11 mm long, c. 1.5 mm wide at the top, pubescent or sometimes glabrous outside, not bearded at the throat; lobes 3–5 × 1.5–2(2.5) mm, oblong-oblanceolate, obtuse to rounded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit black, 5–7 mm in diameter, shiny, sparsely hairy; calyx limb persistent; pedicels accrescent, reaching 15 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed dark grey, 5 mm wide, convex face ± smooth.
[FZ]

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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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