Caryophyllaceae
Polycarpaea

Polycarpaea clavifolia M.G.Gilbert

First published in Nordic J. Bot. 11: 454 (1991)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central Somalia. It is a perennial or subshrub and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome.

Descriptions

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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

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

Type
C1, 17–18 km NE of Hobyo (Obbia), Thulin & Abdi Dahir 6649 (UPS holo., K MOG iso.).
Morphology General Habit
Minute tussock-forming perennial to 3 cm wide, less than 10 cm high, old stems woody, covered with persistent leaf-bases
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-base swollen, becoming brown, persistent; stipules falcate/linear-lanceolate, 1.5–2 mm long, joined to base for c. half length, white; leaf-blade clavate, curved, up to 1 cm long, 1 mm thick when dried, obscurely grooved adaxially, base attenuate into ill-defined petiole, tip ± spiny, drying bright green
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence up to 4 cm long; peduncle clearly articulated c. half-way up, joint with scarious bracts only, occasionally producing a whorl of leaves and additional inflorescence Cymes ± capitate, branches to 7 mm long, flowers erect, internodes obovoid, wider than bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts c. 1 x 1 mm, acuminate, translucent except for narrow brown midrib
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals lanceolate, longest 4–5 mm long, foliaceous/fleshy with scarious margins, tip acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals 5, linear-oblong, 3/4ths as long as sepals, tip lacerate/3-fid
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5, as long as petals; anthers 0.8 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with 0.2 mm stipe, 1.1 mm long overall; style c. 2 mm long including stigma lobes c. 0.7 mm long; ovules many
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit and seeds not seen.
Distribution
C1
Ecology
Altitude range c. 20–50 m.
[FSOM]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • 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