Rubiaceae

Tennantia Verdc.

First published in Kew Bull. 36: 511 (1981)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Somalia to E. Tropical Africa.

Descriptions

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit
Unarmed shrubs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves and flowers borne on lateral abbreviated cushion-shoots
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules narrowly triangular, keeled
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences sessile at the ends of short shoots, ± 5-flowered, bracteate, the bracts presumably of stipular origin derived from suppressed internodes; pedicels obsolete; often flowering when leaves are very young
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-tube cup-shaped, with limb-tube of equal length; lobes 5–6, ovate, separated by quite narrow sinuses
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla almost rotate, the tube very short; lobes oblong, much exceeding the tube
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Anthers linear-oblong, apiculate, inserted at the throat in sinuses of corolla; filaments very short
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary subglobose or obconic, 2-locular; ovules 3(–4) per locule, arranged laterally on each placenta; style clavate, gradually narrowed from base to apex, winged, not divisible into two parts until very mature
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit small, globose, crowned with the persistent funnel-shaped calyx-limb
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds segment-shaped, angular, notched at middle on inner straight margin; testa glossy with very faint plane reticulation.
[FTEA]

M. Thulin. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1–4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Distribution
A single species in Somalia and Kenya.
Morphology General Habit
Shrubs with leaves and flowers on lateral short shoots
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules triangular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 5–6-merous, isostylous, in sessile few-flowered clusters, often produced when leaves are very young
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx with distinct limb-tube; lobes ovate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla-tube very short; lobes oblong, contorted to the left in bud
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2-celled with 3(–4) ovules per cell; style club-shaped, winged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose, crowned by the persistent funnel-shaped calyx-limb, c. 6-seeded
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds segment-shaped, with rounded back and notched at middle on inner straight margin.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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