Vitex buchananii Baker ex Gürke

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

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/147270614/147270616

Conservation

LC - least concern

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol 8, Pt 7. Avicenniaceae, R. Fernandes. Nesogenaceae, M.A. Diniz. Verbenaceae, R. Fernandes. Lamiaceae, R. Fernandes. 2005.

Type

Type from Tanzania.

Morphology General Habit

Shrub 2–4.5 m tall, sometimes scandent or frequently a strong liane, occasionally a small tree to 6 m tall; bark fissured, dark grey-brown; older stems grey-brown tomentose; young stems conspicuously 4-angled, pale yellow tomentose Shrub 2–4.5 m tall, sometimes scandent or frequently a strong liane, occasionally a small tree to 6 m tall; bark fissured, dark grey-brown; older stems grey-brown tomentose; young stems conspicuously 4-angled, pale yellow tomentose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves aromatic when crushed, (3)5-foliolate; petioles 4–14 cm long, terete; median petiolules 1–2.5 cm long; leaflets 5–16 × 2.5–7 cm, median leaflet largest, oblong-elliptic to obovate, long-acuminate at the apex, ± asymmetric and cuneate at the base, entire to occasionally serrate, ± discolorous, scabrid above with short hairs or glabrescent, sparsely to densely pubescent to subtomentose beneath and densely yellow gland-dotted, nerves ± sunken above and prominent beneath Leaves aromatic when crushed, (3)5-foliolate; petioles 4–14 cm long, terete; median petiolules 1–2.5 cm long; leaflets 5–16 × 2.5–7 cm, median leaflet largest, oblong-elliptic to obovate, long-acuminate at the apex, ± asymmetric and cuneate at the base, entire to occasionally serrate, ± discolorous, scabrid above with short hairs or glabrescent, sparsely to densely pubescent to subtomentose beneath and densely yellow gland-dotted, nerves ± sunken above and prominent beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, paniculate, (4)9–35 cm long, white-tomentose; bracteoles 1–5 mm long, linear Inflorescence terminal, paniculate, (4)9–35 cm long, white-tomentose; bracteoles 1–5 mm long, linear.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx obconical, shallowly 5-toothed, gland-dotted, pubescent sometimes lanate, strongly accrescent in fruit; tube 1.5–2 mm long; lobes 0.4–0.8 mm long, erect Calyx obconical, shallowly 5-toothed, gland-dotted, pubescent sometimes lanate, strongly accrescent in fruit; tube 1.5–2 mm long; lobes 0.4–0.8 mm long, erect.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white or mauve; tube 4–5 mm long, straight, glandular and pubescent outside; upper lip 2-lobed with lobes at an obtuse angle to tube; lower lip 3-lobed, 0.7–2 × 1.4–1.8 mm Corolla white or mauve; tube 4–5 mm long, straight, glandular and pubescent outside; upper lip 2-lobed with lobes at an obtuse angle to tube; lower lip 3-lobed, 0.7–2 × 1.4–1.8 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens scarcely exserted from tube; filaments glabrous Stamens scarcely exserted from tube; filaments glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary obovoid, gland-dotted at apex, glabrous; apex almost truncate; style 0.4–0.5 mm long

Ecology

Forest margins in grassland with Cussonia , in riverine vegetation, wooded grassland and mixed deciduous woodlands with Bauhinia , Brachystegia and Combretum ; 10–1800 m.

Note

Readily identified by the small spherical fruits covered with a characteristic bright orange-yellow papery glandular coat, but white beneath it.  The scabrid adaxial surface of the leaflets and the abundant yellow oil-dots, especially abaxially, are also characteristic and apparent even on seedlings.  Yellow oil-dots are also present on calyx and corolla.

Distribution

District code: MOZ N, ZIM E, MAL N, MAL C, MAL S, MOZ N, MOZ Z, MOZ MS. Mozambique Malawi Zimbabwe Zambia Also in Tanzania and Dem. Rep. Congo.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary obovoid, gland-dotted at apex, glabrous; apex almost truncate; style 0.4–0.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a globose drupe, c. 6–8 mm in diameter, enveloped in a distinctive bright orange-yellow papery flaking layer of glands, the fruit whitish beneath, the lower c. 1/3 enclosed by the enlarged calyx; fruiting calyx cup-shaped, pubescent, gland-dotted. Fruit a globose drupe, c. 6–8 mm in diameter, enveloped in a distinctive bright orange-yellow papery flaking layer of glands, the fruit whitish beneath, the lower c. 1/3 enclosed by the enlarged calyx; fruiting calyx cup-shaped, pubescent, gland-dotted.