Rutidea fuscescens Hiern

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or liane, 1–9 m high; young branches puberulous to finely pubescent, older branches with thin greyish bark, flaking to reveal red-brown underlayer; short, patent to backwardly-directed leaf-bearing or sometimes naked branches occasionally present.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blades 1.6–10.5(16) × 1.4–7 cm, elliptic to broadly elliptic, narrowly ovate to ovate or occasionally round in shape, acute to acuminate or occasionally obtuse to rounded and mucronulate at apex, obtuse to rounded, sometimes unequal and less often cordate at the base, shiny and glabrous or glabrescent above, sparsely pubescent to glabrescent with denser hairs on the nerves beneath; lateral nerves often impressed above; domatial hairy tufts present; petiole 0.8–1.5(2.5–3.5) cm long, puberulous to pubescent; stipule limb 1–2 mm long, oblong, puberulous to pubescent outside with lobe 4–12 mm long, linear to subulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4-merous in terminal, ± hemispherical sessile panicles, 2–5.1 cm across, occasionally with an additional pair of lateral panicles from the leaf node below; lateral inflorescence branches 0.6–3 cm long, pubescent, usually one pair; pedicels up to 3 mm long, puberulous to pubescent; bracteoles up to 7 mm long, linear to subulate; bractlets present or absent on the pedicels, exceeding or shorter than the calyx.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx puberulous to sparsely pubescent or glabrescent; tube 0.75–1 mm long; limb up to 0.75 mm long, ± truncate or with short triangular or subulate lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla glabrous outside; tube (4)5–9 mm long; lobes 1.75–3 × 1–2 mm, broadly ovate, rounded at apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter 1–2 mm long, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, well exserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 4.5–6 mm in diameter, glabrous, yellow to red.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 3–5 mm in diameter, minutely reticulate, blackish.

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or liane, 1–9 m. high; branches occasionally short, patent to backwardly directed, leaf-bearing or sometimes naked, puberulous to finely pubescent when young; older branches with thin greyish bark, flaking to reveal red-brown underlayer.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades frequently drying dark brown or blackish, elliptic to broadly elliptic, narrowly ovate to ovate or occasionally round, 1.6–10.8(–16) cm. long, 1.4–6.7 cm. wide, acute to acuminate or occasionally obtuse to rounded and mucronulate at apex, obtuse to rounded, sometimes unequal and less often cordate at base, shiny and glabrous to glabrescent above, glabrescent to sparsely pubescent with denser hairs on the nerves beneath; lateral nerves often impressed above; domatial hairy tufts present; petiole 0.8–1.5(–3.5) cm. long, puberulous to pubescent; stipule-limb oblong, 1–2 mm. long, puberulous to pubescent outside; lobe linear to subulate, 4–12 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4-merous in terminal, ± hemispherical sessile panicles, 2–5.1 cm. across, occasionally with an additional pair of lateral panicles from the leaf-node below; usually with one pair of lateral inflorescence-branches, 0.6–3 cm. long, pubescent; pedicels up to 3 mm. long, puberulous to pubescent; bracteoles linear to subulate, present or absent on the pedicels, exceeding or shorter than calyx, up to 7 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrescent, puberulous or sparsely pubescent; tube 0.75–1 mm. long; limb up to 0.75 mm. long, ± truncate or with short triangular or subulate lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla glabrous outside; tube (4–)5–9 mm. long, 0.5–1 mm. wide at top; lobes broadly ovate, 1.75–3 mm. long, 1–2 mm. wide, rounded at apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, 1–2 mm. long, well exserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit yellow to red, 4.5–6 mm. in diameter, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed blackish, 3–5 mm. in diameter, minutely reticulate.