Vahlia digyna (Retz.) Kuntze

Vahliaceae, M. Bridson. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1975

Morphology General Habit

Erect sparsely to much-branched annual herb 5–35 cm. tall; stems covered with patent or crisped, often glandular, hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 0.5–2.5(–4.8) cm. long, 0.2–0.6(–0.9) cm. wide, acute at apex, tapering or rounded at base, usually with only a few hairs but occasionally pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sessile or subsessile (peduncles and pedicels up to 1 mm.).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube 1.1–2 mm. long, sparsely covered in patent or shorter crisped hairs; lobes ovate, 1.3–2 mm. long, 0.6–1.2 mm. wide, acute, glabrous or sparsely pubescent outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, fading to white, always shorter than sepals, round to ovate, l–l.3(–l.6) mm. long, 0.55–1 mm. wide, usually distinctly apiculate, narrowed to base, entire to finely or irregularly crenate towards apex, with midvein alone distinct.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments 0.3–1.1 mm. long, translucent with vein apparent, with a small membranous hairy scale-like appendage at the base; anthers 0.15–0.4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style-bases distinctly thickened, not separating for 0.15–0.3 mm. above the disc; styles 0.7–1.3 mm. long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 1.4–2.2 mm. long, sparsely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds straw-coloured, ovoid-cylindrical, 0.15–0.27 mm. long, with indistinct longitudinal ridges.

Figures

Fig. 1/1–8.

Habitat

Wet and heavy soils or on saline flats; 450–1127 m.

Distribution

K1 K4 K7 T1 T3 T5 T6/T8 T7 south of the Sahara from Senegal to Somalia, Mozambique, Zambia, Rhodesia and Botswana;

Saxifragaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Much-branched herb to 1 ft. high

Ecology

In sandy river beds and swampy meadows

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow.

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

Vahliaceae, D. M. Bridson. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

An erect, sparsely to much-branched annual herb 5–33·5 cm. tall; stems covered with patent or crisped, often glandular hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 0·5–2–5(4·8) x 0·2–0·6(0·9) cm., acute at apex, tapering or rounded at base, usually with only a few hairs but occasionally pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sessile or subsessile, peduncles and pedicels up to 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube 1·1–2 mm. long, sparsely covered in patent hairs or shorter crisped hairs; calyx-lobes ovate, 1·3–2 x 0·6–1·2 mm., acute at apex, glabrous or sparsely pubescent outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow fading to white, always shorter than sepals, orbicular to ovate, 1–1·3(1·6) x 0·55–1 mm., usually distinctly apiculate at apex, narrowed to base; margin entire to finely or irregularly crenate towards apex; only mid-vein distinct.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments 0·3–1·1 mm. long, translucent with vein apparent, small, membranous, hairy, basal scale-like appendage present; anthers 0·15–0·4 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium

Gynoecium with style-bases distinctly thickened, not separating for 0·15–0·3 mm. above the disk; styles 0·7–1·3 mm. long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 1·4–2·2 mm. long, sparsely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds straw-coloured, ovoid-cylindric, 0·15–0·27 mm. long, with indistinct longitudinal ridges.

Distribution

Also throughout tropical Africa S. of the Sahara, Egypt, Madagascar, India and Pakistan.

Ecology

Usually along river banks and dambos but occasionally in drier situations.

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2014) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 2: Lythraceae to Campanulaceae.

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, 15–40 cm, erect or with basal branches decumbent or ascending, much-branched with lower branches ± equal and opposite, upper branches unequally opposite or opposite to a pair of flowers; vegetative parts and calyx densely furnished with an indumentum of multicellular glandular cells

Morphology Leaves

Leaves of main stem oblong-ovate to lanceolate, sessile, 10–40 × 2–4 mm; branch and inflorescence leaves gradually becoming shorter and proportionally broader, oblong- to orbicular-ovate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in axillary pairs, upper sessile, some lower frequently on glandular pedicels up to 4 mm long, with or without a short common peduncle

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx ± 3 mm, campanulate, tube 1.5–2 mm, densely furnished with long, whitish hairs, strongly 5-ribbed, ribs green or reddish; lobes variable in length, ovate or lanceolate-ovate, acute, green, more shortly and sparingly glandular- hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow (fading white), shorter than to about equalling sepals, ovate to obovate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens subequalling petals; filaments glabrous or patent-hairy, with a minute hairy scale at the inner base

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Styles about as long as stamens, slightly divergent, pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule subglobose, 2–3 mm, opening by 2 or 3 short teeth; seeds very small, reddish, minutely reticulate.

Ecology

Sandy river beds, swampy ground; alt. ± 50 m

Phenology

Apr.?

Distribution

Diyala, Iraq. West Africa eastwards to India.

Note

The Iraqi plant resembles the common African form of this variable species rather than the Indian, having larger petals and longer, pilose filaments than the latter.