Apocynaceae
Cryptolepis

Cryptolepis decidua (Planch. ex Benth.) N.E.Br.

First published in D.Oliver & auct. suc. (eds.), Fl. Trop. Afr. 4(1): 243 (1902)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Angola to N. Cape Prov. It is a subshrub or shrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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
Angola, Currors.n. (K holotype).
Morphology General Habit
A suffrutescent dwarf-shrub
Morphology Roots
Roots unknown
Morphology Stem
Stems erect, up to 0.5–1.0 m × 5 mm, smooth, glabrous, interpetiolar ridges villous, branchlets often stunted
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or fascicled, axils villous, sub-sessile or petiole up to 2 mm long; blade oblong, occasionally oblong-elliptic or oblong-ovate, obtuse to acute and occasionally emarginate, mucronulate to mucronate, base cuneate to obtuse, 1–4.5 × 0.1–0.6 cm, slightly succulent, glabrous, light green, occasionally with purple spots, veins invisible
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary on stunted branchlets; pedicels 5–10(19) mm long; bracts when present acicular, 0.5–1.0 mm long, fimbriate with long silky trichomes
Morphology General Buds
Buds oblong-ovoid, acute, slightly turned to half-turn helically twisted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals oblong-ovate, acute, 0.5–2.5 × 0.5–1.0 mm, margin fimbriate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla violet, glabrous; tube shortly campanulate, 2–3 mm long; lobes spreading, linear-oblong, obtuse, 6–9 × 1 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Corona of lower whorl only, slightly exserted, lobes filiform, simple or occasionally bifid, 2–3 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens sessile, anthers triangular, acute, glabrous, 0.7–1.0 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style terete, ± 0.3 mm long; style-head deltoid, obtuse to acutely bifid, 0.7–1.0 mm long; translator triangular
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds oblong to broadly elliptic, 3–6 × 1–2 mm; coma white to yellowish- white, 1–2 cm long. Follicles erect, widely divaricate to horizontal, narrowly ovoid, attenuate, bases cuneate, 2.5–6.5 × 0.3–1 cm, finely ribbed, light brown
Distribution
Botswana. Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Widespread in the southern African desert and semi-desert regions.
Ecology
Grows on rocky hillsides, on plains and along ravines, usually in sandy or calcareous soils; 550–1500 m.
[FZ]

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: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • 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/

  • 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