Psychotria megalopus Verdc.

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

Morphology General Habit

Spindly laxly branched shrub or small tree 2.4–10 m. tall; stems glabrous and longitudinally wrinkled save for long hairs at the nodes within the stipules; old petiole scars very evident.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades oblong to obovate or obovate-oblanceolate, 28–43 cm. long, 9.6–24 cm. wide, very rounded at the apex, narrowly cuneate at the base, rather thick, glabrous, shining beneath in the living state; midnerve often reddish; lateral nerves numerous, 12–27 pairs, the venation closely but ± obscurely reticulate; a well-marked intramarginal nerve present; petioles often very stout, 1.5–6 cm. long including a portion bordered by the narrowly decurrent base of the lamina; stipules oblong, 2.6 cm. long, 2.4 cm. wide, probably acuminate but often split at the apex, very soon deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in very condensed heads, 4.5–9 cm. long, 3.5–10 cm. wide, the main enveloping bracts large, forming an entirely closed cup which bears a strong median keel in the direction of the longest dimension, which is decurrent on to the thickened peduncle but absent from the central upper part; the flowers are gathered into 3–10 groups within the cup and become more separate after the main bracts have deteriorated; secondary bracts linear-oblong to almost round, the narrowest next to the flowers, 2–2.5 cm. long, 0.6–2.5 cm. wide, the margins incurved, with long hairs outside at the apex, often in dried material the corollas appearing to emerge from holes in a surface made up of hairy bracts; peduncles attaining 1.8 m. in length, pinky red, eventually resting on the ground but often only 12–60 cm. long, up to 4 cm. wide at the apex and ± 2-angled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube ovoid or ellipsoid, glabrous, 1–2 mm. long, 0.7 mm. wide, ribbed; limb 3–5 mm. long, toothed at the apex, the lobes irregular or triangular, 2–5 mm. long, with long hairs outside at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white; tube funnel-shaped, 1.2–1.3 cm. long, cylindrical below, 3 mm. wide at the top, 4 mm. at the bottom, glabrous outside, usually with top half hairy inside; lobes 6, green tinged, lanceolate or ovate, 4–6 mm. long, 2–2.3 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc

Disc 2.5 mm. long, wrinkled.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers 3.8 mm. long, exserted so that bases are just included in the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 3-locular; style 4.5 mm. long, with 3 stigma-arms.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pyrenes straw-coloured, ellipsoid in section or oblong, 8.5–9.5 mm. long, 3.5–5 mm. wide, 2.5 mm. thick, compressed, trigonous, grooved on both surfaces.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark red, ellipsoid in section, 6.5–7 mm. long, 2.2–3.6 mm. wide, 1.5–2 mm. thick, grooved on both surfaces, rugulose.

Habitat

Evergreen forest, including riverine, particularly with Allanblackia, Chrysophyllum, Macaranga, Bridelia, Phoenix and bamboo; 1140–1850 m.

Distribution

T6 T7 not known elsewhere