Phragmanthera usuiensis (Oliv.) M.G.Gilbert

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Type

Type from Tanzania.

Morphology Branches

Branches spreading to pendent, 1–2 m long; branchlets tomentose with short white to brown dendritic hairs on youngest internodes, soon glabrescent to grey stellate hairs and scales, then glabrous

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 1–3 cm long; lamina dark green, paler beneath, coriaceous, 5–20 × 2–11 cm, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic to elliptic or ovate, obtuse to rounded at apex, cuneate to rounded or cordate at base, soon glabrescent, with 6–8 pairs of inconspicuous lateral nerves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen filaments red; anthers 1–2 mm long, with 3–6 cells in each row Stamen filaments red; anthers 1–2 mm long, with 3–6 cells in each row.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style red above, slightly broadened upwards to shoulder; neck 1–2 mm long Style red above, slightly broadened upwards to shoulder; neck 1–2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Berry blue-green, 10 × 6–8 mm, broadly ellipsoid, glabrescent; seed bright orange-red. Berry blue-green, 10 × 6–8 mm, broadly ellipsoid, glabrescent; seed bright orange-red.

Morphology Twigs

Twigs with indumentum (at least stellate hairs and scales) often persistent for several internodes.

Ecology

Riverine, lakeside and swamp associations, miombo woodland and mteche thickets nearby (in Dem. Rep. Congo and the western parts of East Africa the subspecies is common in evergreen forests); 1000–1500 m; on a wide variety of hosts and flowering in most months.

Distribution

ZAM B, ZAM N, ZAM W Zambia Also Central African Republic, Dem. Rep. Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Morphology General Habit

Branches spreading to pendent, 1–2 m long; branchlets tomentose with short white to brown dendritic hairs on youngest internodes, soon glabrescent to grey stellate hairs and scales, then glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Petiole 1–3 cm long; lamina dark green, paler beneath, coriaceous, 5–20 × 2–11 cm, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic to elliptic or ovate, obtuse to rounded at apex, cuneate to rounded or cordate at base, soon glabrescent, with 6–8 pairs of inconspicuous lateral nerves.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Umbels confluent in older axils and mostly around nodes below current leaves, 2–6-flowered; peduncle 0–2(3) mm long; pedicels 1–3 mm long; bract 2–4 mm long, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, ± acuminate, hairy to varying degrees. Umbels confluent in older axils and mostly around nodes below current leaves, 2–6-flowered; peduncle 0–2(3) mm long; pedicels 1–3 mm long; bract 2–4 mm long, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, ± acuminate, hairy to varying degrees

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacle 1.2–2.5 mm long, cylindrical, tomentellous. Receptacle 1.2–2.5 mm long, cylindrical, tomentellous; calyx 0.5–1.5 mm long, usually glabrescent, ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 0.5–1.5 mm long, usually glabrescent, ciliate. Calyx generally half as long as receptacle at anthesis

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 3–5 cm long, yellow to orange, reddening on basal and especially apical swelling of bud, reddening on tube inside, brownish pubescent to tomentellous with stellate and ± short dendritic hairs in bud, but glabrescent to varying degrees at least on the head and basal swelling, sometimes nearly glabrous overall; apical swelling of bud 3–3.5(4) × 2–2.5(3) mm, ovoid-ellipsoid to nearly globular, slightly apiculate and 5-ribbed; basal swelling 3–6 × 2–3 mm, with tube generally distinctly narrowed for several mm above; lobes erect, 8–12 mm long; tips 3–4 × 1.5 mm, elliptic, apiculate, hardened inside. Corolla persistently tomentellous except on head and later basal swelling, or glabrescent to varying degrees but with at least some dendritic hairs on narrow part of the tube Corolla 3–5 cm long, yellow to orange, reddening on basal and especially apical swelling of bud, reddening on tube inside, brownish pubescent to tomentellous with stellate and ± short dendritic hairs in bud, but glabrescent to varying degrees at least on the head and basal swelling, sometimes nearly glabrous overall; apical swelling of bud 3–3.5(4) × 2–2.5(3) mm, ovoid-ellipsoid to nearly globular, slightly apiculate and 5-ribbed; basal swelling 3–6 × 2–3 mm, with tube generally distinctly narrowed for several mm above; lobes erect, 8–12 mm long; tips 3–4 × 1.5 mm, elliptic, apiculate, hardened inside