Apocynaceae
Ceropegia

Ceropegia nutans (Bruyns) Bruyns

First published in S. African J. Bot. 112: 434 (2017)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central Mozambique. It is a tuberous geophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Goyder, D. J., Gilbert, M. G. & Venter, H. J. T. (2020). Apocynaceae (part 2). In: M. A. García (ed.), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 7(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Type
Mozambique, Zambézia, Namuli, 4 km towards Malema, fl. 4.i.2004, Bruyns 9729 (BOL150389 lectotype, BOL, MO-2010650), second step lectotype designated here.
Vegetative Multiplication Tubers
Tuber discoid, to 10 cm diam. Stem prostrate to ascending, 5–20 cm long, 1–2 mm thick, reddish-green, puberulous
Morphology Leaves
Leaves herbaceous, sessile; leaf blade linear, 40–80 × 3–5 mm, abaxial surface glabrous except for puberulous midrib, adaxially glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences from all but basal 2 nodes, extra-axillary, sessile, cyme 1-flowered, flower usually facing downwards
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicel 20–25 mm, ascending with deflexed apex, puberulous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals brown, c.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 13–16 mm long, divided nearly to base; tube cupular, c.1 mm deep; lobes linear, 12– 15 × c.3 mm at base, incurved but not connate, apices acute, abaxially green, puberulous, adaxially green at base, reddish brown towards apex, finely white pubescent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Corona sessile, cupular, c.1 mm high, 3.5 mm diam., yellow-green, glabrous throughout; outer lobes deeply bifid, c.2.5 mm long; erect, inner lobes incumbent on anthers, triangular, slightly longer than anthers, yellow-green with green tips, apices acute, with white hairs mainly near bases
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Follicles and seeds not recorded.
Distribution
Mozambique. Endemic.
Ecology
Bare ground on shallow soil overlying granite; 1400–1500 m.
Conservation
DD: known only from two collections from a relatively small area but likely to be overlooked.
[FZ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/108612952/108620099

Conservation
VU - vulnerable
[IUCN]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0