Canthium bugoyense (K.Krause) Lantz

Rubiaceae, D. Bridson. Flora Zambesiaca 5:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree 1–6 m tall with slender spreading branches, sometimes ± scandent; shoots pubescent when young, becoming glabrous, with ± lenticellate grey-brown bark on older branches; older branches with supra-axillary ± opposite paired spines 6–25 mm long, and often bearing leaves and flowers on brachyblasts (short condensed nodular lateral shoots), the lateral shoots bearing only one pair of leaves or the apical portions of otherwise normal shoots can have the internodes much condensed and similarly bear a pair of leaves.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blades 3–10.5 × 1.2–7 cm, ovate to elliptic or oblong-elliptic, long-acuminate at the apex, the actual tip narrowly rounded, rounded to cuneate at the base, very thin, rather sparsely pilose with appressed ± rough hairs on both surfaces, with ± obscure barbellate domatia, ciliate; petiole 3–10 mm long, bristly pubescent; stipules connate at the base, 4 mm long including the 1.5–2 mm long filiform apex, triangular, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 2–3-flowered axillary cymes, or flowers solitary; peduncles 4 mm long and pedicels 3–10 mm long, both ± densely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube hemispherical, 1.2–1.5 mm long, ± glabrous or pilose; lobes 1–3.5 mm long, linear-lanceolate, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla clavate, shortly tailed in bud; greenish to yellowish-cream; tube 3–6 mm long, glabrous to pilose outside, and pubescent with tangled hairs in most of inside; lobes 1.5–3.5 mm long, ovate-oblong.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2-locular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 4.5–5 mm long, thickened towards the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter 5–8 mm long, coroniform, 2-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit yellowish-green (apparently ripe), or black, 12–13 × 11–12 mm, compressed-obcordate in lateral view, broadly emarginate at the apex, glabrous or with a few bristly hairs at the apex, crowned by the calyx lobes; pedicels up to 15–30 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Pyrene

Pyrenes 2.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/62915/111326754

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree 1–6 m. tall, with slender spreading branches, perhaps sometimes ± scandent; older branches with ± lenticellate grey-brown bark, glabrous, bearing supra-axillary ± opposite paired spines, 0.6–2.5 cm. long; young shoots pubescent; leaves and flowers often borne on short condensed nodular lateral shoots bearing only one pair of leaves or apical portions of otherwise normal shoots can have the inter-nodes much condensed and similarly bear a pair of leaves.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades ovate to elliptic or oblong-elliptic, 3–10.5 cm. long, 1.2–7 cm. wide, long-acuminate at the apex, the actual tip narrowly rounded, rounded to cuneate at the base, very thin, rather sparsely pilose with adpressed ± rough hairs on both surfaces and ciliate, with ± obscure barbellate domatia; petiole 0.3–1 cm. long, bristly pubescent; stipules connate at the base, triangular, 4 mm. long including the 1.5–2 mm. long filiform apex, deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 2–3-flowered axillary cymes or flowers solitary; peduncles 4 mm. long and pedicels 3–10 mm. long, both ± densely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube hemispherical, 1.2–1.5 mm. long, ± glabrous or pilose; lobes linear-lanceolate, 1–3.5 mm. long, glabrous.

Morphology General Buds

Buds clavate, the tube glabrous to pilose, the apical swollen limb part ± spreading pilose, shortly tailed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla greenish to yellowish cream; tube 3–6 mm. long, with most of inside pubescent with tangled hairs; lobes ovate-oblong, 1.5–3.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 2-locular; style 4.5–5 mm. long, thickened towards the base; stigmatic club coroniform, 0.5–0.8 cm. long, 2-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit black, compressed-obcordate, 1.2–1.3 cm. long, 1.1–1.2 cm. wide, broadly emarginate at the apex, glabrous or with a few bristly hairs at apex, crowned by calyx-limb, with 2 pyrenes; pedicels up to 1.5 cm. long.