Phragmanthera eminii (Engl.) Polhill & Wiens

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

Type

Type from Tanzania.

Morphology Stem

Stems in all directions to 60 cm, much branched; branchlets tomentose, with buff dendritic hairs 0.5–1 mm long on youngest parts, and with shorter, paler hairs more persistent

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 5–l0 mm long; lamina 2–7 × 1.5–4 cm, ovate-lanceolate to ovate-elliptic to ovate, subacute to obtuse or shortly rounded at apex, cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate at base, tomentose with stellate and shortly dendritic hairs, glabrescent to varying degrees above, persistently hairy beneath, often with slightly longer and more tawny hairs especially medially, with 4–6 pairs of obscure lateral nerves

Ecology

Miombo, mixed woodland and riverine associations; (500)900–1800 m; on a wide variety of hosts, with main flowering flush in the rains, December to March, but flowering sporadically also in the dry season.

Note

A variable species, showing incipient divergence throughout its range, most evident in differences in indumentum. The typical form from south of Lake Victoria and at lower altitudes west of Lake Tanganyika has ovate-lanceolate leaves, rounded to slightly cordate at the base, with a short persistent indumentum, with clearly dendritic brownish hairs on the corolla in NW Tanzania, becoming more wispy, less regularly branched and paler further south-east in Tanzania to Zambia. On higher ground around the southern end of Lake Tanganyika and sporadically southwards to Zimbabwe and west to Katanga (Shaba) Province of Dem. Rep. Congo there is a form with more variably shaped leaves tending to be more glabrescent above, with rather long pale hairs on the corolla, and variably tomentose to villous receptacles. An extreme form around Lake Tanganyika at higher altitudes is essentially the same, but the hairs are violet-purple, often long on the receptacle as well as on the corolla. In the plateau regions of Zambia, Malawi and eastern Zimbabwe there is a form with markedly discolorous often rather narrow basally cuneate leaves and rather short sparse pale dendritic corolla hairs.

Distribution

Zambia Mozambique Malawi Zimbabwe ZAM N, ZAM W, ZAM C, ZAM S, ZIM N, ZIM E, MAL N, MAL C, MAL S, MOZ T Also in Tanzania and Katanga (Shaba) Province of Dem. Rep. Congo.

Morphology General Habit

Stems in all directions to 60 cm, much branched; branchlets tomentose, with buff dendritic hairs 0.5–1 mm long on youngest parts, and with shorter, paler hairs more persistent.

Morphology Leaves

Petiole 5–l0 mm long; lamina 2–7 × 1.5–4 cm, ovate-lanceolate to ovate-elliptic to ovate, subacute to obtuse or shortly rounded at apex, cuneate to rounded or slightly cordate at base, tomentose with stellate and shortly dendritic hairs, glabrescent to varying degrees above, persistently hairy beneath, often with slightly longer and more tawny hairs especially medially, with 4–6 pairs of obscure lateral nerves.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers progressively produced in axils; pedicels 2–4 mm long; bract 3–6 mm long, ovate-lanceolate to shortly spathulate, occasionally some foliaceous. Flowers progressively produced in axils; pedicels 2–4 mm long; bract 3–6 mm long, ovate-lanceolate to shortly spathulate, occasionally some foliaceous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacle 2–4 mm long, tomentose to villous with pale-coloured to violet hairs. Receptacle 2–4 mm long, tomentose to villous with pale-coloured to violet hairs; calyx 1–2 mm long, subentire to slightly lobed, often somewhat glabrescent, ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 1–2 mm long, subentire to slightly lobed, often somewhat glabrescent, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 4–5 cm long, pale green, generally red at least on claws of lobes inside, with an understorey of pale hairs and many longer pale, reddish or purplish dendritic to subsimple hairs 1–4 mm long; apical swelling of bud 5–7 × 3–3.5 mm, ellipsoid; basal swelling slight; lobes reflexed, 9–12 mm long, upper half to three-fifths linear-lanceolate, hardened inside. Corolla 4–5 cm long, pale green, generally red at least on claws of lobes inside, with an understorey of pale hairs and many longer pale, reddish or purplish dendritic to subsimple hairs 1–4 mm long; apical swelling of bud 5–7 × 3–3.5 mm, ellipsoid; basal swelling slight; lobes reflexed, 9–12 mm long, upper half to three-fifths linear-lanceolate, hardened inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen filaments generally pale green; tooth 0.5–0.8 mm long; anthers 2–3 mm long, with 6–8 cells in each row. Stamen filaments generally pale green; tooth 0.5–0.8 mm long; anthers 2–3 mm long, with 6–8 cells in each row

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style pale green, slender, only slightly broadened opposite filaments, minutely to distinctly denticulate-papillate, narrowed 2–3.5 mm below obovoid stigma. Style pale green, slender, only slightly broadened opposite filaments, minutely to distinctly denticulate-papillate, narrowed 2–3.5 mm below obovoid stigma

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Berry turning blue-green, 7–9 × 4–5 mm, ellipsoid, with persistent calyx, shortly hairy. Berry turning blue-green, 7–9 × 4–5 mm, ellipsoid, with persistent calyx, shortly hairy.

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