Cleomaceae
Cleome
Cleome kalachariensis

Cleome kalachariensis subsp. kalachariensis

This subspecies is accepted
The native range of this subspecies is S. Africa. It is an annual and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

Capparidaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb 20–40 cm. tall, little branched; stems striate, glandular-pubescent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 3-foliolate, petiolate; leaflets up to 2.0 x 0.2 cm., gradually diminishing upwards and passing into the sessile, 3-foliolate bracts; petiole glandular-pubescent, c. 0.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a terminal lax raceme; pedicels up to 1.5 cm. long or 2.0 cm. in fruit, glandular-pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 5–6 mm. long, membranous, linear or linear-oblanceolate, acuminate at the apex, glandular-pubescent outside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals sulphur-yellow, 9–10 x 4–6 mm., narrowly obovate to oblanceolate, tapering gradually to the base but lacking a distinct claw.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens all fertile; filaments slender and purplish towards the base, the 4–5 lower c. 1.5 cm. long and 13–14 upper c. 9 mm., long, glabrous; anther-thecae up to 3 mm. long, linear-oblong, minutely apiculate at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary linear with minute, subsessile glands visible only at magnifications of x 50 upwards; gynophore glabrous, c. 1 mm. long; style c. 1 mm. long, purplish; stigma subcapitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 4–5 x 0.2 cm., on a glabrous gynophore up to 1 cm. long; valves glandular-pubescent, with 11–13 longitudinal, anastomosing nerves; persistent style up to 3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds c. 1 mm. in diam., almost black, tuberculate-reticulate.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • 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