Vitaceae
Cyphostemma

Cyphostemma heterotrichum (Gilg & R.E.Fr.) Desc. ex Wild & R.B.Drumm.

First published in Fl. Zambes. 2: 469 (1966)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Kenya to Zimbabwe. It is a scrambling subshrub or shrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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
[AERP]

Vitaceae, Bernard Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1993

Morphology General Habit
Erect or somewhat scandent ± fleshy. Subshrubby very sticky herb 0.5–1.5 m. tall from a fleshy bifurcate rootstock ± 15 cm. wide; stems ± stout, ridged, with mixed indumentum of short whitish hairs, slightly longer darker red, purplish or black gland-tipped hairs and often a few glandular whitish hairs up to 5 mm. long; tendrils absent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves somewhat fleshy, digitately 3–7(–9)-foliolate; leaflets sessile, elliptic, obovate or oblong-lanceolate, 3–20(–25 fide Thomas) cm. long, 1.3–9 cm. wide, acute to acuminate at the apex, cuneate at the base, serrate to crenate, pubescent with short white hairs and red or blackish gland-tipped hairs, densest beneath particularly on the nerves; petiole 3.5–18 cm. long with indumentum similar to stems; stipules triangular, 0.8–2.5 cm. long, 0.4–1.8 cm. wide, pubescent and with gland-tipped hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Cymes terminal, trichotomous, 3.5–12 cm. wide; peduncle 2.5–7 cm. long; pedicels 3–4(–11 in pole flowers) mm. long; all axes densely pubescent with a mixture of short pale hairs and short red or dark gland-tipped hairs; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate, 2–4 mm. long, also with mixed hairs.
Morphology General Buds
Buds maroon, oblong-cylindric, 2–2.7 mm. long, constricted just above the middle, pubescent with short eglandular and gland-tipped hairs especially at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 2 mm. wide, entire, puberulous and sometimes glandular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals with upper 2/3 dark maroon and lower 1/3 white to yellowish.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary minutely puberulous; style ± 1.8 mm. long, minutely 2-fid at apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit green with red hairs, becoming crimson or ± black, ellipsoid, 6–8 mm. long, 4.5–5 mm. wide, with both glandular and eglandular short hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds broadly ellipsoid, 5–7 mm. long and ± 4 mm. wide, with dorsal ridges evident, 4 being wide, 2 and 3 thinner; mid-ventral ridge thick; all joined by 7 short transverse ridges on either side of 4, and 5 longer transverse ridges between 2 and 1 and 3 and 1.
Figures
Figs. 16/3, p.71; 18.
Habitat
Grassy slopes, Borassus -grassland with Combretum, grassland with scattered trees, bushland, Brachystegia woodland, rocky hills, also roadsides and old cultivations, mostly in rather damp places; 780–1890(–2100) m.
Distribution
K2 K3 T1 T4 T5 T7 U1 U3 U4
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • 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 2026. 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 2026. 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