Zingiberaceae
Aframomum

Aframomum alpinum (Gagnep.) K.Schum.

First published in H.G.A.Engler (ed.), Pflanzenr., IV, 46: 220 (1904)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. & S. Central Tanzania. It is a rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/117177707/124285195

Conservation
VU - vulnerable
[IUCN]

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: confident
[AERP]

Zingiberaceae, J.M. Lock. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1985

Morphology General Habit
Rhizomes 2-4 mm. in diameter, extensive; scales chartaceous, brown, 4-6 cm. long.
Morphology General Shoots
Leafy shoots 1.5-2 m. tall.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves narrowly elliptic, 17-24 × 3-4 cm., caudate-acuminate, base cuneate, slightly asymmetric, glabrous except for some sparse pubescence near the apex of the midrib beneath; nerves closely spaced, 27-31 per 5 mm. beneath, ± 22 per 5 mm. above but often obscured by hypodermal sclerenchyma; ligule coriaceous, rounded, 1-2 mm. long; sheaths sulcate, pubescent or glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences mostly on the rhizomes but sometimes at the base of the leafy shoot, 2-flowered; peduncles erect, 1-2 cm. long; bracts ovate, chartaceous, to 4.5 × 2 cm., glabrous except for the bilobed pubescent apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx spathaceous, glabrous, up to 4 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals pale mauve to white, the posterior elliptic, concave, obtuse, 5 × 2.5 cm., the laterals narrowly ovate, 4.5 × 0.7 cm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum
Labellum 8-11 cm. long, the free portion broadly obovate, 6 × 5 cm., pale mauve or whitish with a yellow patch at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Free filament ± 2 cm. long; anther subterminal, 9 mm. long, the basal 5 mm. dehiscing; apex 3-lobed, the apical lobe rounded to triangular, to 2 mm. long, the lateral lobes narrowly triangular, 4 × 1 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary glabrous; style filiform, pubescent towards the apex; stigma trumpet-shaped, pubescent outside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit (known only from immature specimens) smooth, partly or completely buried in the leaf litter.
Habitat
Undergrowth of montane forest; 1200-1700 m.
Distribution
T3 T5 T6 T7 not known elsewhere
[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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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