Ceropegia pachystelma Schltr.

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

South Africa, Transvaal, Mailas, Kop R., Schlechter 4511 (B† holotype, BOL137972 lectotype), designated by Dyer (1980).

Vegetative Multiplication Tubers

Tuber depressed globose, 4–12 cm diam., upper surface warty

Morphology Stem

Stem twining, up to 4 meters long, 2–3 mm thick, pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves semi-succulent to succulent; petiole 2–10 mm long, hirsute; leaf blade lanceolate to ovate-oblong, 20–50 × 7–25 mm, margin sometimes undulate, apex acuminate, surfaces glabrous to pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence extra-axillary, peduncle 10–12 mm long; cyme umbel-like, up to 10-flowered, usually fewer, flowers opening in succession, up to 4 open at once

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicel 3–9 mm long, puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals deltoid-lanceolate to subulate, puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 20–30 mm long, straight to curved, tube 15–25 mm long, basal chamber broadly ovoid to subglobose, 4–5 mm wide, narrowed at apex, limb cylindrical, 1.5–1.8 mm wide, widening to c.3 mm at mouth, exterior pale purplish-brown to green, often mottled, densely pubescent, interior pale, pilose, basal chamber papillate; sinuses acute, flat; lobes linear-oblong, 5–12 mm long, shortly revolute near base, otherwise flat, apices connate to form broadly ovoid cage wider than mouth, abaxially pilose, adaxially pale with dark red band near base, glabrous or tomentose-villous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona sub-campanulate; outer lobes each forming a pouch c.0.75 mm deep; spreading, inner lobes converging over gynostegium, lanceolate-acuminate in upper half, 1.5–2 mm long, c.0.5 mm broad, apices slender, attenuate, recurved

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed not recorded. Follicles narrowly divergent, 6–14 cm long, slender, glabrous

Distribution

Mozambique. Also in Namibia, South Africa and Eswatini. This species is also recorded for Botswana and Zimbabwe by Bruyns (2014) but no voucher material has been seen.

Ecology

Habitat in the Flora area not recorded but in Namibia given as ‘among stones and bushes or in sand between trees; 1000– 1600 m.

Conservation

Possibly extinct in the Flora area as it has not been recollected since the 19th Century. A common South African species.