Gnidia chrysantha (Solms ex Schweinf.) Gilg

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Type

Syntypes from Sudan and Ethiopia; neotype from Ethiopia, see Peterson (1978).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 4-merous, brilliant yellow to red or scarlet; pedicels 1–3 mm long, provided with erect hairs 1–3 mm long Flowers 4-merous, brilliant yellow to red or scarlet; pedicels 1–3 mm long, provided with erect hairs 1–3 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 9–16 mm long, c. 4-angled in section, sericeous or rarely glabrous above the articulation, glabrous or very rarely sparsely sericeous below; lobes 2.5–4 × 1.5–3 mm, narrowly ovate to ovate, acute to acuminate, occasionally blunt, puberulous beneath Calyx tube 9–16 mm long, c. 4-angled in section, sericeous or rarely glabrous above the articulation, glabrous or very rarely sparsely sericeous below; lobes 2.5–4 × 1.5–3 mm, narrowly ovate to ovate, acute to acuminate, occasionally blunt, puberulous beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals none Petals none.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens subsessile; anthers of the upper row c. 1 mm long, enclosed or slightly protruding; anthers of the lower row 0.6–0.8 mm long Stamens subsessile; anthers of the upper row c. 1 mm long, enclosed or slightly protruding; anthers of the lower row 0.6–0.8 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 1–1.5 mm long, subsessile, glabrous; disk none; style 3–5.5 mm long, lateral; stigma papillate

Ecology

Scattered to abundant in both dry and wet parts of open grassland, miombo woodland and hillsides; 400–2130 m.

Note

Gnidia chrysantha has the same high variation in characters as found in e.g. G. involucrata and G. kraussiana. As within these species there are series of transitions in G. chrysantha from one extreme to another. Gnidia miniata is described as having ovate 7–8 mm long and 3–4 mm wide involucral bracts, scarlet flowers and a calyx tube 10–13 mm long, all within the range of G. chrysantha.

Distribution

Also in Guinea, northern Nigeria, Cameroon, Dem. Rep. Congo and Angola as well as from Sudan to Tanzania. Mozambique Malawi Zimbabwe ZAM B, ZAM N, ZAM W, ZAM C, ZAM E, ZAM S, ZIM C, ZIM E, MAL N, MAL C, MAL S, MOZ N, MOZ MS Zambia

Morphology General Habit

Suffrutescent shrub, 15–60(110) cm high, with a few to numerous shoots from a woody rhizome, unbranched or rarely sparingly branched. Suffrutescent shrub, 15–60(110) cm high, with a few to numerous shoots from a woody rhizome, unbranched or rarely sparingly branched

Morphology General Shoots

Shoots erect, glabrous, green, glaucous or pinkish. Shoots erect, glabrous, green, glaucous or pinkish

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, erect, subsessile or with petiole 0.5–1 mm long; lamina (5)8–20(25)× 0.8–4(6.5) mm, elliptic, narrowly ovate to narrowly obovate, attenuated at the base, acute, midrib prominent on the lower side, subcoriaceous, glaucous green, glabrous. Leaves alternate, erect, subsessile or with petiole 0.5–1 mm long; lamina (5)8–20(25)× 0.8–4(6.5) mm, elliptic, narrowly ovate to narrowly obovate, attenuated at the base, acute, midrib prominent on the lower side, subcoriaceous, glaucous green, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a terminal involucrate head with 30–50(75) flowers; peduncle 3–30 mm long. Inflorescence a terminal involucrate head with 30–50(75) flowers; peduncle 3–30 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts (5)6–10(12), elliptic to broadly ovate; outer usually narrower, 5–10(17) × 1.5–6(8) mm, acuminate to acute, rigid, usually foliaceous, glaucous or yellow-green, sometimes edged red, glabrous. Bracts (5)6–10(12), elliptic to broadly ovate; outer usually narrower, 5–10(17) × 1.5–6(8) mm, acuminate to acute, rigid, usually foliaceous, glaucous or yellow-green, sometimes edged red, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary 1–1.5 mm long, subsessile, glabrous; disk none; style 3–5.5 mm long, lateral; stigma papillate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 1.5–2 × c. 1 mm. Seed 1.5–2 × c. 1 mm.

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

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

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with woody stock and erect, sparingly branched shoots, up to 18 in. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bright yellow

Ecology

In savannah.