Family:
Apocynaceae Juss.
Genus:
Cryptolepis R.Br.

Cryptolepis calophylla (Baill.) L.Joubert & Bruyns

This species is accepted, and its native range is W. Tropical Africa to South Sudan and N. Mozambique.

[FTEA]

Apocynaceae (part 2), David Goyder, Timothy Harris, Siro Masinde, Ulrich Meve, Johan Venter. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2012

Morphology General Habit
Large liana.
Morphology Roots
Roots unknown.
Morphology Stem
Stems up to 20 m long, pale brown, glabrous, verrucose, flaky
Morphology Leaves
Leaf petiole (2–)5–7 cm long; blade broadly ovate, 9–12(–14) × 5–11 cm, obtuse to cuspidate, base cordate, veins pale green above, dark green beneath
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 10–30-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peduncles 1–3 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts acicular, ± 2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels 4–5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals sub-orbicular, 2 × 2 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla glabrous outside; tube campanulate, 5–6 mm long, inside of mouth papillate; lobes spreading, broadly elliptic to broadly ovate, 6–7 × 6–7 mm, obtuse, inside papillate, pink, maroon, dark red or violet to deep violet
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Coronal collar borne in lower half of corolla tube; lobes violet to maroon, 2 mm long and fused to corolla tube’s inner face for ± 2 mm, radiating into corolla tube cavity, radiating processes channelled, upper part bisegmented, outer segment subulate to obtuse, inner segment concavely hoodshaped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens green.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments terete, ± 0.5 mm long, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers narrowly hastate-ovate, ± 0.5 mm long, pubescent to rarely glabrous on back
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Nectaries
Interstaminal nectaries sub-orbicular, erect around style.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style terete, ± 1 mm long, style-head ± 1 mm long; translators ± 1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynostegium
Gynostegium concealed in corolla tube
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Follicles very narrowly deltoid-ellipsoid to deltoid-ovoid, 2-edged, obtuse-acute, 11–25 cm long, 2–4 cm diameter, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds dark brown, narrowly elliptic to obliquely narrowly elliptic, 6–8 mm long, reticulate to warty; coma 3–4 cm long
Figures
Fig 39, p 124
Ecology
Swampy forest, riverine forest and coastal thicket to grassland; 0–1150 m
Distribution
Flora districts: U4 K1 K4 K7 T2 T3 T6 T7 T8 Z Range: Senegal and Mali to Central African Republic and South Sudan

[FTEA]
Use
The roots are used as an aphrodisiac. The flossy cortical fibres are spun into fish nets and bow strings

Native to:

Benin, Burkina, Central African Repu, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe

Cryptolepis calophylla (Baill.) L.Joubert & Bruyns appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Jan 1, 2010 Bally, P.R.O. [1995], Kenya Parquetina calophylla 3430.000 No
Jan 1, 2009 Polhill, R. [463], Kenya Parquetina calophylla 1066.000 No
Jan 1, 2009 Faulkner, H.G. [2783], Tanzania Parquetina calophylla 30460.000 No
Jan 1, 2009 Drummond, R.B. [2992], Tanzania Parquetina calophylla 5124.000 No
Jan 1, 2009 Faulkner, H. [562], Tanzania Parquetina calophylla 5125.000 No
Jan 1, 2009 Keay, R.W.J. [FHI 37131], Nigeria Parquetina calophylla 7044.000 No
Jan 1, 2009 Thomas, N.W. [1011], Nigeria Parquetina calophylla K000234313 holotype Yes
Jan 1, 2005 Andrews, F.W. [1620], Sudan Parquetina calophylla 1067.000 No

First published in Taxon 65: 498 (2016)

Accepted by

  • Govaerts, R., Nic Lughadha, E., Black, N., Turner, R. & Paton, A. (2021). The World Checklist of Vascular Plants, a continuously updated resource for exploring global plant diversity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-00997-6. Scientific Data 8: 215.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
  • Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Flora Zambesiaca 7(3): 1-375. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Goyder, S., Harris, T., Masinde, S., Meve, U. & Venter, J. (2012). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Apocynaceae(2): 1-530.
  • Thiombiano, A., Schmidt, M., Dressler, S., Ouédraogo, A., Hahn, K. & Zizka, G. (2012). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Burkina Faso. Boissiera 65: 1-391.

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    Flora of Tropical East Africa
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0