Triumfetta brachyceras K.Schum.

Tiliaceae, C. Whitehouse, M. Cheek, S. Andrews & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2001

Morphology General Habit

Shrub (1–)2–4 m high, sometimes spreading over a wide area by horizontal stems; stems usually up to 8 mm thick, covered in long soft rufous hairs, but varying to dark brown subscabrid.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves shortly oblong to ovate, 7.5–24 cm long, 6.5–15 cm wide, shallowly 3-lobed, rarely entire, the apical lobe ± 5 cm long, the lateral lobes 0.5–2 cm long, base markedly cordate, often with a sinus 6–8 mm deep, margin coarsely 2-crenate or 2-serrate, densely stellate-hairy, the hairs usually long, soft and reddish but sometimes short, subscabrid and brown or grey, more densely stellate-tomentose beneath; petiole 3.2–9(–14) cm long, 1.5–2.5(–4) mm wide, indumentum as stem; stipules sometimes persistent, triangular, 5–10 mm long, 1–3 mm wide, indumentum as stem.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, with numerous stout branches 7–60 cm long, bearing dense clusters of large flowers at nodes 1–4 cm apart, the lowest nodes with reduced leaves, the lowermost almost as large as the stem leaves, but entire, reducing steadily to narrowly ovate or elliptic leaves to 2.8 cm long, 1 cm wide, each node with 5–10(–12) cymes opposite the leaf, cymes sometimes inserted at end of a short leafless stem 1–3 cm long, cymes (1–)3-flowered; peduncle 6–10 mm long; bracts 2–5 mm long, 0.5 mm wide, as stipules; pedicels 2–5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals narrowly oblanceolate, slightly pandurate, 11–19 mm long, 1(–2) mm wide, with a short terminal spine up to 0.5 mm long, densely covered in long (1 mm) rufous hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals oblong-elliptic, 10–12 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, the lower part gradually tapered into a claw, basal 1.5 mm densely hairy; stamens (10–)12–22; ovary hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit dehiscing by 4–5 valves, subglobose, 13–20 mm diameter, reddish brown to black, glabrous, rarely with a few scattered white simple hairs, bristles 64–80, each 5–7(–9) mm long, patent, tightly hooked, with a single terminal hair.

Figures

Fig. 14/4–6.

Habitat

Forest edges and clearings and swamps; 1200–2650 m

Distribution

K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 T1 T2 T4 T7 U2 U3 U4