Holarrhena pubescens Wall. ex G.Don

Apocynaceae, A. J. M. Leeuwenberg and F. K. Kupicha et al.. Flora Zambesiaca 7:2. 1985

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree, 0·60–18 m. high; trunk 12–25 cm. in diam.; bark smooth and more or less distinctly lenticellate or rough and corky, longitudinally fissured, pale to dark grey; inner bark pale buff, with green outer layer, wood soft.

Morphology Branches

Branches lenticellate; branchlets pubescent or less often glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves very variable in shape and size; petiole pubescent or less often glabrous, 0·2–12 mm. long; lamina ovate to elliptic or narrowly so, 1·7–19·5 x 1·3–11·2 cm., acuminate or acute at the apex, cuneate or rounded at the base, pubescent to glabrous on either side: if hairy usually more so beneath; lamina of the leaves of the first pair or the first two pairs of a branchlet often subcircular, rounded or obtuse at the apex and smaller; on each side of the midrib with 5–25 secondary veins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences usually apparently axillary or leaf-opposed, sometimes terminal, fairly lax.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncle, branches and pedicels pubescent or less often glabrous; peduncle 0·9–1·7 cm. long; bracts linear, pubescent or less often glabrous on both sides.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals (1)2–12 x 0·5–1·7 mm., elliptic to linear, pubescent outside, often only towards the apex, indumentum a mixture of eglandular and glandular hairs, less often entirely glabrous, inside pubescent with eglandular hairs all over or only at the apex and then the basal 0·5–3 mm. glabrous, or less often entirely glabrous, ciliate, with 0–10 colleters inside at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 20–38 mm. long; tube white 9–19 mm. long, pubescent outside with eglandular and also some glandular hairs except for the basal 0·5–3 mm., sometimes entirely glabrous, inside pubescent from the throat to the insertion of the stamens; lobes white, narrowly triangular, 10–24(30) x 3–8 mm., recurved, pubescent and ciliate or glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers narrowly triangular, 0·8–1·8 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Pistil 1·8–3·1 mm. long; ovary 0·7–1·2 x 0·5–1·0 mm. glabrous; style 0·3–1·2 x 0·2–0·3 mm., shortly pubescent at the apex or entirely glabrous; clavuncula 0-3-1-2 X 0·2–0·5 mm., shortly pubescent or less often glabrous; stigma 0·1–0·3 mm. long, shortly pubescent or glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits pale grey to dark brown; carpels pendulous, 20–37·5 cm. long, 2–9 mm. in diam., outside sometimes many lenticels or white-dotted or -spotted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 9–16 mm. long, with a dense, 25–45 mm. long tuft of hairs at the apex.