Apocynaceae
Landolphia

Landolphia rufescens (De Wild.) Pichon

First published in Mém. Inst. Franç. Afrique Noire 35: 161 (1953)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is DR Congo to S. Tropical Africa. It is a climber and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Liane ascending to 24 m. or more.
Morphology Stem
Young stems dark brown, hispid-pubescent, sometimes sparsely so.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves moderately coriaceous, often drying blackish-green; petiole 3–10 mm. long, with indumentum like the stem; lamina 5·5–15·5 x 2·9–7·4 cm., elliptic to ovate- or obovate-elliptic, the apex acuminate to a long narrow round-tipped or acute acumen or rarely rounded and only faintly apiculate, the base slightly cordate or less often cuneate. Upper leaf surface entirely glabrous or sparsely pilose on midrib; midrib broad, channelled, lateral nerves and tertiary reticulation impressed; lower surface with lamina glabrous and midrib and lateral nerves brownish hispid-pubescent, sometimes only sparsely; all veins prominent, the loops joining the lateral nerves conspicuous, well spaced in from the margin.
Morphology General Tendrils
Tendrils present.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary few- to several-flowered cymes, sessile or subsessile, with short branches.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers yellowish, sweet-scented, subtended by two sepal-like bracteoles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx c. 2 mm. long, sepals ovate, appressed-pubescent, free, patent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tube 3–6 mm. long, puberulous on outer surface, glabrous within, inflated in upper half; corolla lobes 2·5–4 mm. long, linear, puberulous on outer surface, glabrous above.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens inserted in upper half of corolla tube; anthers c. 1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium
Gynoecium narrowly conical; ovary glabrous at base, appressed-pubescent above, passing smoothly into the glabrous style.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, up to 4 cm. in diameter, smooth, pale green with longitudinal markings round the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds c. 8 mm. long.
[FZ]

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: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. 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 2024. 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