Ceropegia meyeri-johannis Engl.

Goyder, D. J., Gilbert, M. G. & Venter, H. J. T. (2020). Apocynaceae (part 2). In: M. A. García (ed.), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 7(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Type

Tanzania, steppes between Samburi, Moshi and Marangu, Meyer 196 (B† holotype); Kilimanjaro, 6000 ft, Johnson s.n. (BM000528529 neotype, K000305483), neotype designated by Huber in Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 155 (1958).

Morphology Roots

Roots clustered, fleshy, fusiform

Vegetative Multiplication Tubers

Tuber absent

Morphology Stem

Stem twining, herbaceous, up to 2 m long, 1 mm diam., pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves herbaceous; petiole 12–40 mm long, pilose; leaf blade ovate, 30–60 × 15–35 mm, base in lower leaf blades deeply cordate, shallower in upper leaves, margin entire, apex acute to acuminate, both surfaces thinly pubescent to scabrid

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence extra-axillary, sessile to pedunculate; cyme umbel-like, many-flowered, flowers opening in succession

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicel 4–12 mm long, glabrous to pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals linear-lanceolate to subulate, 3–5 × 0.5–1 mm, apex acute, glabrous to sparsely pilose

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 18–25 mm long; slightly curved immediately above inflated base; tube 8–18 mm long, basal chamber pear-shaped, 4–5 × 5–7 mm wide, abruptly narrowed apically, limb funnel-shaped, 1–1.5 mm wide at base, widening to 4–6 mm diam. at mouth, exterior whitish to dull purple, glabrous, interior dark purple to dark green in lower part, above and at mouth white veined dark green, with many longitudinal tuberculate ribs, mouth thinly pubescent; sinuses rounded, spreading and gaping, margins flat; lobes linear from short triangular base, 3–6 mm long, straight, replicate, apices connate to form cylindrical to ovoid cage narrower than mouth, apex ± rounded, abaxially glabrous, margins and keel densely deflexed pilose, adaxially dark green or greenish-yellow with brown apices

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona stipitate; 2–3.5 × 2–3.5 mm diam.; outer corona lobes oblong, erect, deeply bifid, sometimes with central tooth, to 2 mm long, white or cream, glabrous; inner lobes converging over gynostegium, linear, overtopping outer lobes, white with recurved red apices, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed black throughout, c.12 × 2 mm; coma c.24 mm long. Follicles narrowly divergent, linear-fusiform, (8.5)10–13 × 0.3–0.4 cm wide at middle

Distribution

Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi. Also in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, D.R. Congo

Ecology

Mixed evergreen forest margins, riverine woodland; 1100–1350 m.

Conservation

LC, widely distributed and quite frequently collected.

Apocynaceae (part 2), David Goyder, Timothy Harris, Siro Masinde, Ulrich Meve, Johan Venter. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2012

Morphology General Habit

Herbaceous twiner to 2(–4) m high, leafy, pubescent.

Morphology General Exudate

Latex clear.

Morphology Roots

Rootstock a cluster of fusiform roots up to 100 × 5–10 mm.

Morphology Stem

Stems sparsely branched, 1–2 mm diameter, pubescent with short retrorse hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves herbaceous, spreading; petiole 15–35 mm; lamina ovate or occasionally ovate-oblong, 30–50(–80) × 15–45(–70) mm, base cordate, apex acuminate, minutely pubescent on both surfaces, margin finely ciliate. Inflorescence umbellate, up to 8-flowered, flowers opening consecutively, 1–3 flowers open at a time, mostly without detectable scent, occasionally scented; peduncle 3–40 mm long, pubescent; bracts subulate, ± 1 × 0.3 mm, abaxially pubescent; pedicels 5–15 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals yellowish-green, 3–7 × 0.5–1 mm, acute with recurved tips, abaxially hispidulous-pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 19–30(–35) mm long, curved; tube 12–21 mm long; in basal 1/4– 1/3 with a globose inflation 5–8 × 4–8 mm, with 5 slight indentations at base in between sepals, curved and narrowing above inflation into a cylindrical part ± 2 mm diameter, dilated in throat to 10 mm diameter, glabrous or pilose outside with whitish-translucent hairs especially in throat; exterior greenish-white to yellow-green with maroon spots and splodges on inflation, passing into silvery-grey to yellowish with maroon dots and streaks around throat, occasionally tube whitish-cream throughout; interior: from apex of inflation deep reddish-maroon merging into pale yellow or white in throat, sometimes with green or dark maroon vertical lines at edge of throat; lobes linear from a broadly deltoid base, 5–10 mm long, plicate, incurved and connate at their tips, with needlelike hairs on adaxial surface, adaxially with various shades of green or blackish or purplish, basal part whitish or yellowish with or without reticulated veins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona distinctly stipitate, basally cupular, translucent white or cream, 2–2.7(–3.5) × 2–2.8(–3.5) mm, glabrous or pubescent in parts; outer lobes triangular-rectangular in outline, apically deeply or shallowly bifid, teeth linear to triangular, acute or obtuse, suberect, splashed purplish, often finely sparsely ciliate in marginal areas; inner lobes erect, spatulate, linear or linear-spatulate, ± 1.5 × 0.3 mm, apex rounded to ± truncate, well above or overtopping outer lobes, with purplish splash in basal areas

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers subquadrate, overtopping the flattened to rounded stylar head.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia elliptic, 0.2–0.22 × 0.12–0.14 mm, corpusculum dark brown, linear, ± 0.19 × 0.04 mm

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Carpels

Carpels glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Follicles paired, divergent at an acute angle, 100–130 mm long, 3–4 mm diameter at centre, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 8–10 × 1.5–2.5 mm, with a brownish or blackish margin; coma 10–25 mm long

Figures

Fig 66, p. 232.

Ecology

Forest edges and clearings, and thickets especially on hills and lower mountain slopes; 900–2500 m

Note

Related to C. verticillata, C. filicorona and probably also distantly related to C. papillata. A widely variable species in its flower and leaf size, corolla and corona morphology and coloration. Fresh leaves of specimens from Mt Kasigau emit a distinctive strong geranium-like scent.

Distribution

Flora districts: U1 U2 U3 U4 K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T6 Range: Congo-Kinshasa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa