Loranthaceae
Agelanthus

Agelanthus subulatus (Engl.) Polhill & Wiens

First published in J.-P.Lebrun & A.L.Stork, Énum. Pl. Fleurs Afr. Trop. 2: 165 (1992)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Somalia to S. Tropical Africa. It is a hemiparasitic epiphyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Type
Types from Tanzania.
Morphology Stem
Stems spreading to 1–2 m, often with rather short lateral branches; branchlets flattened, becoming terete or 4-angled to slightly winged; plant glabrous except sometimes for short hairs in axils, on umbels and bracts
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style green above, slender, isodiametric; stigma 0.6 mm across, capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Berry red, 7–8 × 4.5–5 mm, oblong-ellipsoid; seed bright yellow. Berry red, 7–8 × 4.5–5 mm, oblong-ellipsoid; seed bright yellow.
Note
Flowering throughout the rains and perhaps sporadically at other times. Very attractive and a readily recognized species, but also variable in some features that suggest incipient divergence. In the Flora Zambesiaca area Correia 98 (K; LISC) and Luke, Kibure & Nacamo 10017 (K), from northern Mozambique on the Mueda Plateau in Cabo Delgado, are notably anomalous, with sessile shortly cordate leaves. At Darwendale in northern Zimbabwe, Sonja Vermeulen found the species exclusively on Pterocarpus angolensis and with a high occupancy of that host over a considerable area (S. J. Vermeulen, Distribution of Mistletoes in a Patchy Habitat, Ph.D. Thesis, University of London, 1999). It is also commonly recorded on this host in Malawi.
Distribution
Also in southernmost Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania and Katanga (Shaba), southern Dem. Rep. Congo, in various associations from forest to woodland, bushland and wooded grassland, often in transitional associations; 200–1650 m; generally on legumes, but sometime Zimbabwe Ruins Mozambique Malawi Zimbabwe ZAM N, ZAM C, ZAM E, ZIM N, ZIM C, ZIM E, ZIM S, MAL N, MAL C, MAL S, MOZ N, MOZ MS Zambia
Morphology General Habit
Stems spreading to 1–2 m, often with rather short lateral branches; branchlets flattened, becoming terete or 4-angled to slightly winged; plant glabrous except sometimes for short hairs in axils, on umbels and bracts.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or subopposite; petiole (0)2–6(10) mm long; lamina thinly coriaceous, dull to dark green or sometimes slightly blue-green, mostly 4–12 × 2–5 cm, lanceolate to ovate-elliptic or elliptic, narrowed or slightly acuminate to the obtuse or subacute apex, cuneate to rounded or rarely cordate at the base, lowest on flowering branchlets smaller and more obovate, with 6–12 pairs of lateral nerves, 2–several lower ones more strongly ascending. Leaves opposite or subopposite; petiole (0)2–6(10) mm long; lamina thinly coriaceous, dull to dark green or sometimes slightly blue-green, mostly 4–12 × 2–5 cm, lanceolate to ovate-elliptic or elliptic, narrowed or slightly acuminate to the obtuse or subacute apex, cuneate to rounded or rarely cordate at the base, lowest on flowering branchlets smaller and more obovate, with 6–12 pairs of lateral nerves, 2–several lower ones more strongly ascending
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels solitary in the axils or terminal on short shoots, 8–16-flowered; peduncle 0.8–2.5(4) cm long; pedicels 1–3 mm long; bracts shallowly cupular with an enlarged limb; limb 6–20 × 3–5 mm long, lanceolate to oblanceolate or foliaceous, flat or boat-shaped, sometimes slightly to conspicuously spurred from the back. Umbels solitary in the axils or terminal on short shoots, 8–16-flowered; peduncle 0.8–2.5(4) cm long; pedicels 1–3 mm long; bracts shallowly cupular with an enlarged limb; limb 6–20 × 3–5 mm long, lanceolate to oblanceolate or foliaceous, flat or boat-shaped, sometimes slightly to conspicuously spurred from the back
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacle 1–1.5 mm long. Receptacle 1–1.5 mm long; calyx 0.6–1 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 0.6–1 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 3.5–5(5.5) cm long, white at base, then pink or orange, banded green-yellow just below vents, yellow or yellow and red over vents, with green tip; apical swelling 3.5–5 × 2–2.5 mm, obovoid-ellipsoid, slightly apiculate, angular to slightly ribbed; basal swelling slight; lobes erect, 8–10(12) mm long, the upper expanded part 3.5–4(5) × 1–1.2(1.5) mm, oblong-elliptic. Corolla 3.5–5(5.5) cm long, white at base, then pink or orange, banded green-yellow just below vents, yellow or yellow and red over vents, with green tip; apical swelling 3.5–5 × 2–2.5 mm, obovoid-ellipsoid, slightly apiculate, angular to slightly ribbed; basal swelling slight; lobes erect, 8–10(12) mm long, the upper expanded part 3.5–4(5) × 1–1.2(1.5) mm, oblong-elliptic. Stamen filaments red below, yellow or green above; tooth 0.5–0.8 mm long; anthers 1.5–2(3) mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamen filaments red below, yellow or green above; tooth 0.5–0.8 mm long; anthers 1.5–2(3) mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Style green above, slender, isodiametric; stigma 0.6 mm across, capitate.
[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]

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

Morphology General Habit
Shrub spreading to 1–2 m, often with rather short lateral branches, glabrous or nearly so; branchlets flattened, becoming terete or 4-angled to slightly winged
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or subopposite; petiole (0–)2–6(–10) mm long; blade thinly leathery, dull to dark green or sometimes slightly blue-green, mostly lanceolate to ovate-elliptic or elliptic, narrowed or slightly acuminate to the obtuse or subacute apex, cuneate to rounded or rarely cordate at the base, 4–12 × 2–5 cm, lowest on flowering branchlets smaller and more obovate, with 6–12 pairs of lateral nerves, 2–several lower ones more strongly ascending
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels solitary in the axils or terminal on short shoots, 8–16-flowered; peduncle 0.8–2.5(–4) cm long; pedicels 1–3 mm long; bracts shallowly cupular with an enlarged limb; limb lanceolate to oblanceolate or foliaceous, flat or boat-shaped, 6–20 × 3–5 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacle 1–1.5 mm long; calyx 0.6–1 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 3.5–5(–5.5) cm long, white at base, then pink or orange, banded green-yellow just below vents, yellow or yellow and red over vents, with green to red tip; apical swelling obovoid-ellipsoid, slightly apiculate, angular to slightly ribbed, 3.5–5 × 2–2.5 mm; basal swelling slight; lobes erect, 8–10(–12) mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments red below, yellow or green above; tooth 0.5–0.8 mm long; anthers 1.5–2(–3) mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style green above, slender, isodiametric. Berry red, oblong-ellipsoid, 7–8 × 4.5–5 mm; seed bright yellow.
Distribution
S3 Kenya and Tanzania west to southern Zaire and south to Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Ecology
Altitude range c. 30 m.
[FSOM]

Loranthaceae, Polhill & D. Wiens. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1999

Morphology General Habit
Stems spreading to 1–2 m. long, often with rather short lateral branches; branchlets flattened, becoming terete or 4-angled to slightly winged; plant glabrous except sometimes for short hairs in axils, on umbels and bracts.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or subopposite; petiole (0–)2–6(–10) mm. long; lamina thinly coriaceous, dull to dark green or sometimes slightly blue-green, mostly lanceolate to ovate-elliptic or elliptic, 4–12 cm. long, 2–5 cm. wide, lowest ones on flowering branchlets smaller and more obovate, narrowed or slightly acuminate to the obtuse or subacute apex, cuneate to rounded or rarely cordate at the base, with 6–12 pairs of lateral nerves, 2–several lower ones more strongly ascending.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Umbels solitary in the axils or terminal on short shoots, 8–16-flowered; peduncle 0.8–2.5(–4) cm. long; pedicels 1–3 mm. long; bracts shallowly cupular with an enlarged limb; limb lanceolate to oblanceolate or foliaceous, flat or boat-shaped, sometimes slightly to conspicuously spurred from the back, 6–20 mm. long, 3–5 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Receptacle 1–1.5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 0.6–1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 3.5–5(–5.5) cm. long, white at the base, then pink or orange, banded green-yellow just below vents, yellow or yellow and red over vents, with green tip, occasionally almost wholly white; apical swelling obovoid-ellipsoid, slightly apiculate, angular to slightly ribbed, 3.5–5 mm. long, 2–2.5 mm. in diameter; basal swelling slight; lobes erect, 8–10(–12) mm. long, the upper expanded part oblong-elliptic, 3.5–4(–5) mm. long, 1–1.2(–1.5) mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamen-filaments red below, yellow or green above; tooth 0.5–0.8 mm. long; anthers 1.5–2(–3) mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Style green above, slender, isodiametric; stigma capitate, 0.6 mm. across.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Berry red, oblong-ellipsoid, 7–8 mm. long, 4.5–5 mm. in diameter; seed bright yellow.
Figures
Fig. 10/1–6.
Habitat
Forest to woodland, bushland and wooded grassland, generally on legumes, but sometimes on Combretum and genera of other families, sometimes parasitic on other mistletoes, may also attack cultivated trees; 10–2300 m.
Distribution
K4 K7 T3 T6 T7 T8
[FTEA]

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

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • 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 2025. 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 2025. 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