Euploca sessilistigma (Hutch. & E.A.Bruce) E.L.A.N.Simons & Wieringa

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Type

N1, border at 8º58´N, 44º15´E, Gillett 4107 (K holo.)

Morphology General Habit

Subshrub or herb, 7–50 cm tall, ± densely pubescent with ± appressed hairs; older stems with white peeling epidermis, brown underneath

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades narrowly elliptic to elliptic, 5–15(–25) x 1–5(–7) mm, cuneate at the base, acute at the apex, with ± revolute margins; petiole 0.5–2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers sessile in few- to several-flowered ± dense up to 3 cm long cymes; bracts leaf-like

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx pubescent; lobes linear to lanceolate, unequal, 1.2–2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white; tube 1.2–3 mm long, pubescent in upper part outside, inside pubescent in a zone below the lobes; lobes 0.5–1 x 0.5–1 mm, pubescent outside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style obsolete; stigmatic head ± capitate, often with a tuft of hairs or a low projection in the middle, stigmatic head and style together 0.3–0.5 mm long and often completely immersed between the nutlets

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Nutlets 4, 1.2–1.5 x 1–1.2 mm, pubescent with ± spreading hairs on the back, with a cavity on each inner surface.

Distribution

N1, 3; C1, 2; S1, 2; Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen

Ecology

Altitude range 15–1310 m.

Vernacular

Gahot (Somali)

Boraginaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1991

Morphology General Habit

Densely branched intricate heath-like shrublet or more often a perennial prostrate mat-forming or ascending subshrubby much-branched herb 7–45 cm. tall; stems densely covered with ascending ± adpressed white hairs when young, later often with white peeling epidermis revealing brown bark beneath (as in H. rariflorum).

Morphology Leaves

Leaves silvery or grey-green; blades narrowly oblong-elliptic to distinctly elliptic, 0.5–1.5 cm. long, 1.5–5 mm. wide, acute at the apex, cuneate at the base, strigose with adpressed white hairs on both surfaces; petiole 0.5–2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sessile, basically axillary but leaves often reduced so that inflorescences appear to be spike-like, ± 5 cm. long, with some flowers supported by leaf-like bracts and others not.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-lobes linear to lanceolate, 1.2–2 mm. long, 0.2–0.5 mm. wide, densely spreading or adpressed pilose outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, scarcely exceeding the calyx; tube 1–2 mm. long, adpressed hairy outside above, glabrous beneath, hairy inside at base of lobes; limb 2–3 mm. wide, the lobes broadly ovate, rounded or scarcely defined, 0.8–1 mm. long and wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma globose or with a very short ± imperceptible projection or small tuft of hairs, the style very short or ± obsolete, the two together 0.3–0.5 mm. long and often completely immersed in the central cavity between the 4 nutlets.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit depressed globose, ± 3 mm. wide, easily separating into 4 globose or ovoid-segment-shaped nutlets 1.2–1.5 mm. long, 1–1.2 mm. wide, typically with sparse to dense long spreading white hairs often ± dark at tips or hairs sometimes 1/2-adpressed.

Figures

Fig. 19/3, p. 71.

Habitat

Lava desert with scattered trees and scrub, old alkaline lake deposits, rocky cliffs and limestone pavements, bushland with Balanites, Acacia, Commiphora, etc.; 300–1050 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K6 K7