Kohautia attenuata (Willd.) I.M.Turner

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 5:1. 1989

Morphology General Habit

Erect unbranched to sparsely branched annual herbs 10–30 cm. tall; stems ± densely papillose often reddish at base and below nodes.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves (23)28–39(47) x (0.5)0.7–2.5(4) mm., linear, linear-lanceolate to narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, margins and midrib beneath papillose, otherwise surfaces scabrid to glabrous, apex acute, narrowed to the base; stipular sheath (0.7)1–1.6(2) mm. long, stipular lobes (0.5)0.7–1.2(2.5) mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences spike-like, many-flowered, mostly 2 subsessile flowers at a node, the flower in a fork of a dichasium distinctly pedicellate; peduncles 1–60 mm. long; pedicels (0)2–10(25) mm. long, all parts densely papillose like the stem.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube (0.6)1–1.4(1.5) x (0.5)0.7–1.5(1.7) mm. ovoid to elliptic, densely covered with rounded papillae; lobes (0.8)1–1.4(1.7) mm. long and (0.2)0.3–0.5(0.6) mm., narrowly triangular to linear-lanceolate, margins and midrib scabrid with stiff minute papillae.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla lobes above mostly white or blueish or pinkish white, bluish or mauve below, tube light green or greeny white, narrow part of tube outside with rounded minute papillae; tube slightly curved, altogether (2.1)2.3–3.1(3.4) mm. long, the dilated part ovoid-elliptic in shape, (0.8)1–1.3(1.5) x (0.4)0.5–0.8(0.9) mm., the narrow part (0.2)0.3–0.6(0.7) mm. wide; lobes (0.7)1–1.5(1.8) x (0.3)0.4–0.7(0.9) mm., ovate-triangular to ovate-oblong, not parted to the base, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers ± oval, c. two thirds the length of the dilated tube; pollen 4–5-colporate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style and stigma as long as the narrow part of the tube, stigma lobes 0.7–1(1.4) mm. long, tips touching the anthers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules (2)2.2–3(3.4) x (2.8)3.4–4.3(4.7) mm., subglobose to globose, ± sparsely papillose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds light brown, c. 0.4–0.5 mm. long, angular-subconic.

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: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit

Annual sparsely to densely branched herb 13–40 cm. tall, the stems scabrid with white papillae.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves linear to narrowly elliptic, 1.5–3(–4.7) cm. long, 0.5–4 mm. wide, acute at the apex, narrowed to the base, glabrous above, papillate on midvein beneath and on the margins; stipule-sheath 0.7–1.5 mm. long, divided into 2 fimbriae 0.5–2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences lax, the flowers mostly in pairs well spaced on the rhachis, entirely monochasial or branched at the base, trichotomous or dichasial; peduncle 1–4(–8) cm. long; pedicels 0.1–1.3(–2.6) cm. long; all parts papillate like the stems.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube ellipsoid, 1–1.2 mm. long, papillate; lobes linear-lanceolate, 0.7–2 mm. long, glabrous or minutely scabridulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, brownish, greenish, pale blue or purple; tube narrowly cylindrical, sometimes curved, 2.5–4.7 mm. long, the widened part 0.7–2 mm. long, 0.5–0.8 mm. wide, mostly sparsely papillate outside with downwardly directed hairs inside near the base of the widened part; lobes oblong, 1–1.2 mm. long, 0.5–0.9 mm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style ± 0.6 mm. long; stigma-lobes 1.2–1.4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule oblong-subglobose, 2.5–3(–4) mm. tall, 2.5–4 mm. wide, ± smooth or papillate, the dehisced beak slightly raised.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pale brown, angular, 0.4–0.6 mm. long.

Habitat

Grassland, open bushland and thicket, also overgrazed wet ground and as a weed in arable fields, particularly on heavy black clay soils; 750–1950 m.

Distribution

K1 K3 K4 K6 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T7 U1 South West Africa

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

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb up to 40 cm tall; stems scabrid

Morphology Leaves

Leaves linear to narrowly elliptic, 20–40 x 1–4 mm, acute, scabrid particularly along margins; stipule sheath c. 1 mm long with 2 up to 2 mm long fimbriae

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers in lax cymes with often 2 subsessile flowers at a node

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-lobes narrowly triangular, c. 1–1.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or sometimes brownish, bluish or pinkish; tube 2.5–3.5 mm long; lobes 1–1.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style c. 2 mm long with 2-lobed stigma

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 2–4 mm in diam., ± sparsely papillose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pale brown, c. 0.4–0.6 mm long.

Distribution

N1; S1 widespread in the drier parts of tropical and southern Africa, Arabian peninsula, Pakistan and India

Ecology

Altitude range 400–1400 m.