Psychotria heterosticta E.M.A.Petit

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or subshrub 0.2–2.7 m. tall, or small tree 6–7.5 m. tall, with glabrous, bifariously or less often extensively pubescent stems.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades elliptic, narrowly elliptic, or oblanceolate to narrowly oblong-lanceolate, 3.5–19 cm. long, 0.5–5.5 cm. wide, acute or shortly acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, completely glabrous or shortly pubescent on lower part of main nerve beneath, thin to slightly coriaceous; domatia absent; nodules present, usually linear or spot-like along the main nerve beneath and usually but not always some spot-like ones in the lamina; petiole obsolete or 0.5–2 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; stipules ovate or ovate-triangular, 2.5–6 mm. long, glabrous or pubescent, divided into 2 lobes at the apex, 0.5–3 mm. long, eventually deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers heterostylous, 5-merous, usually congested into umbel-like inflorescences, each branch with a ± head of flowers or in panicles 2–8 cm. long; peduncles often 2-ribbed, 1–9 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; secondary branches 0.4–1.5 cm. long, glabrous or pubescent; pedicels 0.5–3(–5 in fruit) mm. long, glabrous or pubescent; bracts and bracteoles minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube ovoid, 0.75–1 mm. long, glabrous; limb cupuliform, 0.5–0.75 mm. long; lobes irregular, very small or rarely 0.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or yellowish green, glabrous outside; tube 2.5–4 mm. long; lobes elliptic-triangular, 2–2.5 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens with filaments 1.5–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 0.3 mm. long in long-styled flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style 2–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 2.5 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma-lobes 0.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Drupes red, subglobose, 5–7 mm. long, 6–10 mm. wide, glabrous, with 2 pyrenes; pyrenes semiglobose, similar to the seeds.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds semiglobose, 4.2 mm. long, 5 mm. wide, 3 mm. thick; ventral face with a V- or U-shaped median fissure but rest of the albumen not ruminate.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/138011624/138015554

Conservation

LC - least concern

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