Rubiaceae
Psychotria

Psychotria ealaensis De Wild.

First published in Miss. Ém. Laurent 1: 348 (1906)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa. It is a climbing shrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Climbing shrub with stems several m. long and attaining 3 cm. in diameter near the base, at first fairly densely covered with very short pubescence but later glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades elliptic, 3.5–11 cm. long, 1–5.5 cm. wide, distinctly acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, glabrous save sometimes for some pubescence on the lower part of the main nerve beneath, thin; nodules absent; domatia present; petiole 0.2–1.5 cm. long, pubescent; stipules ovate-triangular, 4–6.5 mm. long, bilobed at the apex, the lobes 1–2.5 mm. long, pubescent or glabrous, deciduous; nodes with long hairs within the stipules.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers heterostylous, (4–)5(–6)-merous, in much-branched panicles 2.5–10 cm. long; peduncle 1–4 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; secondary branches 0.2–1 cm. long, pubescent; pedicels obsolete or ± 1 mm. long, very shortly pubescent; main bracts ± 3 mm. long, lobed at the base, clasping the stem, rest small, ± pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-tube conic, ± 1 mm. long, glabrescent; limb cupuliform, 0.75–1 mm. long, glabrous or sparsely covered with very short almost papilla-like hairs; lobes very short, broadly triangular, ± 0.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla yellowish, greenish or lilac, glabrous to finely densely tomentose outside; tube 3.25–5.5 mm. long; lobes ovate-triangular, 2–2.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens purple, with filaments 2–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 0.5–0.75 mm. long in long-styled flowers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Style 1.5–3 mm. long in short-styled flowers and 4–5 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma-lobes 0.75–1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Drupes red, ellipsoid, 5–7(–10 in living state) mm. long, 7(–8) mm. wide, with 2 pyrenes; pyrenes depressed semi-ellipsoid, 5.5 mm. long, 4.2 mm. wide, 2.5 mm. thick, ventral face plane, dorsal face obscurely ribbed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds dark blackish-red, of similar shape, 4.5 mm. long, 4 mm. wide, 2 mm. thick, ventral face rugose, dorsal face irregularly 7-ribbed; albumen ruminate on both faces but particularly between the dorsal ribs.
Habitat
Edges and thinner parts of lowland evergreen forest, also riverine forest; 1110-1500(–2050) m.
Distribution
T4 T7 U4
[FTEA]

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 5:1. 1989

Morphology General Habit
Climbing shrub with stems 6–15 m. long and attaining 3 cm. in diam. near the base, at first fairly densely covered with very short pubescence but later glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf blades 3.5–11 x 1–5.5 cm., elliptic, distinctly acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, glabrous save sometimes for some pubescence on the lower part of the main nerve beneath, thin; nodules absent; domatia present; pedole 0.2–1.5 cm. long, pubescent; stipules 4–6.5 mm. long, ovate-triangular, bilobed at the apex, the lobes 1–2.5 mm. long, pubescent or glabrous, deciduous; nodes with long hairs within the stipules.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers heterostylous, (4)5(6)-merous, in much-branched panicles 2.5–10 cm. long; peduncle 1–4 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; secondary branches 0.2–1 cm. long, pubescent; pedicels obsolete or ± 1 mm. long, very shortly pubescent; main bracts ± 3 mm. long, lobed at the base, clasping the stem; rest small, ± pubescent Calyx tube ± 1 mm. long, conic, glabrescent; limb 0.75–1 mm. long, cupuliform, glabrous or sparsely covered with very short almost papilla-like hairs; lobes very short, ± 0.5 mm. long, broadly triangular; corolla yellowish, greenish or lilac, glabrous to finely densely tomentose outside; tube 3.25–5.5 mm. long; lobes 2–2.5 x 1–1.5 mm., ovate-triangular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens purple, with filaments 2–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 0.5–0.75 mm. long in long-styled flowers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Style 1.5–3 mm. long in short-styled flowers and 4–5 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma lobes 0.75–1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Drupes red, 5–7(10 in living state) mm. long, 7(8) mm. wide, ellipsoid, with 2 pyrenes; pyrenes 5.5 x 4.2 x 2.5 mm., depressed, semi-ellipsoid; ventral face plane, dorsal face obscurely ribbed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds dark blackish-red, of similar shape, 4.5 x 4 x 2 mm.; ventral face rugose, dorsal face irregularly 7-ribbed; albumen ruminate on both faces but particularly between dorsal ribs.
[FZ]

Sources

  • 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

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 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 2023. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2022 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0