Empogona coriacea (Sond.) Tosh & Robbr.

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

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5-merous, sweet-scented.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx glabrous; limb 0.5–1 mm long, divided to c. 1/3 above the base into triangular lobes, round or acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or pink, tube(?2)4–6(7)mm long, widened towards throat, glabrous outside, very densely congested with crisped hairs at throat; lobes longer than tube, 5–6 × 1.5–3 mm, reflexed when mature, emarginate, ciliate at tips.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens reflexed when mature; filaments 0.5–1(2) mm long; anthers 3–3.5 mm long, with a conspicuous apical appendage 1(1.5) mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter arms held clear of throat hairs, located between the anthers before they reflex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary Placenta

Placenta with (1)2(3) collateral ovules.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit purplish-black, spherical, 7–8 mm in diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 2(3) in each chamber, adaxially deeply excavated; seed coat brown; endosperm entire.

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree 1–5(7) m tall (spinescent fide Ross & Moll 2173 in South Africa); young twigs often minutely puberulous; older stems with buff- or straw-coloured bark becoming brown-buff striated with age.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves evergreen or semideciduous, slightly dimorphic, the ones at the start of the new season’s growth smaller; main blades 3–8(9.8) × 1–4(4.6) cm, elliptic or less often narrowly or broadly elliptic or ovate, obtuse or sometimes rounded or acute (rarely mucronulate) at apex, acute or cuneate at base, with margin recurved, glabrous, coriaceous, shiny above; midrib ± flat above, raised beneath; lateral nerves in c. 5 main pairs; tertiary nerves reticulate, more prominent above than beneath; domatia absent or sometimes pit-like and pubescent; petiole (1)2.5–6 mm long, rather stout, puberulous above; stipule limbs 1–1.5 mm long, awns 1.5–3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence mostly borne in leaf axils, but also at naked nodes,shortly pedunculate, 1–5-flowered; peduncles 0.75–2 mm long; one order of secondary branches mostly present, up to 5 mm long; pedicels 4–14 (or 16 in fruit) mm long, glabrous or puberulous; bract and bracteoles fused, pale and chaffy when dry, very occasionally with small subfoliaceous lobes; bractlets free, alternate, linear-lanceolate.