Psychotria leucopoda E.M.A.Petit

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub 0.6–3 m. tall, with rather slender glabrous branches.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades elliptic to narrowly oblong-elliptic, 3.5–16 cm. long, 1–6 cm. wide, acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, often deep brown on drying, completely glabrous or sometimes ciliate along the sides of the midrib; nodules situated in the midrib; petiole 0.3–2 cm. long, glabrous; stipules acuminate, the apex entire or very shortly bidentate, the base ovate-triangular, 3–6 mm. long, glabrous, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers heterostylous, 5-merous, in branched glabrous panicles, often drying a salmon-red colour, 3–12 cm. long; peduncles 1.5–6 cm. long; secondary branches 0.5–1.5 cm. long; pedicels 3–5 mm. long, sometimes attaining 1 cm. in fruit; bracts and bracteoles minute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrous, broadly turbinate; tube ± 1 mm. long; limb deeply cupuliform, 1–1.7 mm. long, the teeth narrowly triangular 0.25–0.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, glabrous outside; buds with 5 small “horns” at the apex; tube 3.5–5 mm. long; lobes oblong-lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm. long, 0.8–1 mm. wide, slightly appendaged at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens with filaments 1.5–3 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 0.3 mm. long in long-styled flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style 2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 5–6 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma-lobes 0.5–1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Drupes bright cherry-red when ripe, with 2 pyrenes, ellipsoid, 6–8 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, crowned with the calyx-limb, glabrous; pyrenes semi-ellipsoid, 4.2 mm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, 2 mm. thick, the dorsal surface 4–5-ribbed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3.5 mm. long, 3.2 mm. wide, 1.6 mm. thick, obtusely ribbed on the dorsal surface, the ventral surface ± 2-grooved; albumen not ruminate.

Habitat

Rain-forest, lowland fringing forest and also in drier coastal evergreen forest; 45–1050 m.

Distribution

not known elsewhere K7 T3 T6 Z