Kanahia laniflora (Forssk.) R.Br.

First published in H.Salt, Voy. Abyss., App.: Ixiv (1814)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical & S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula. It is a subshrub or shrub and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Apocynaceae (part 2), David Goyder, Timothy Harris, Siro Masinde, Ulrich Meve, Johan Venter. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2012

Morphology General Habit
Erect shrub to 2.5 m tall, multistemmed.
Morphology Stem
Stems branching mainly near the base and arising from a sandy-coloured non-tuberous rootstock
Morphology Leaves
Leaves linear-lanceolate, 6–15(–20) × 0.3–1.5(–2.5) cm, tapering gradually into the attenuate apex and the channeled petiole, margins smooth, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences extra-axillary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peduncles 1.5–9 cm long; rachis up to 1.5(–3) cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts
Bracts deciduous, basal bract in each inflorescence lanceolate, to 15(–25) × 2(–4) mm, acute, other bracts smaller and more filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers spreading or erect on slender pedicels 1–2.5(–3) cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals ovate to narrowly lanceolate, 3–10 × 1–3 mm, acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla rotate to campanulate, divided ± to the base or occasionally lobes united for about half their length, cream or white, sometimes tinged with green; lobes ovate to elliptic, 7–10(–13) × 2.5–5 mm, subacute, glabrous on outer face, inner face minutely pubescent with a shaggy indumentum of white hairs towards the apex and margins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynostegium
Gynostegium with stipe 1–2.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Corona lobes white, arising near the base of the anther wings and reaching the top of the column or to about halfway, 2–4 × 1–2 mm, subglobose or somewhat compressed laterally, truncate and with a deep or shallow groove distally, the margins sometimes produced into a pair of teeth arching towards or over the head of the staminal column
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anther wings 2–3 mm long, vertical, frequently somewhat flared at base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinarium
Pollinaria dark brown, ovoid, with corpusculum 0.4–0.5 × 0.2 mm; translator arms 0.2–0.3 mm long, slender, straight or slightly articulated.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia
Pollinia ovoid-subcylindrical or linear-oblanceolate, 0.8–1.5 × 0.2–0.4 mm, slightly flattened in section.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Stylar head flat, level with the top of the anthers
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Follicles single or paired, inflated or not, ovoid, (3–)3.5–6 × (0.5–)1–2 cm, with a rounded apex to subcylindrical with a slender beak; fruiting pedicel not contorted
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds generally inflated, ovoid, 3–4 × 1–2 mm, not differentiated into disc and rim, tapered towards the coma, smooth; coma 6–10 mm long
Figures
Fig 90, p 371
Ecology
In seasonally inundated watercourses, on sand or among rocks; 0–1500 m
Distribution
Flora districts: U1 U3 K1 K2 K3 K4 K7 T1 T3 T5 T6 T7 Range: From Ivory Coast to Somalia and S to South Africa, Yemen and Saudi Arabia
[FTEA]

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
Yemen, Djöbla, Forsskåls.n. (C holotype).
Morphology General Habit
Erect, multistemmed shrub to 2.5 m tall; stems branching mainly near the base and arising from a sandy coloured non-tuberous rootstock
Morphology Leaves
Leaves 6–15(20) × 0.3–1.5(2.5) cm, linear- lanceolate, tapering gradually into the attenuate apex and the channeled petiole, margins smooth, glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences extra-axillary; peduncles 1.5–9 cm long; rachis up to 1.5(3) cm long; bracts deciduous, basal bract in each inflorescence to c.15(25) × 2(4) mm, lanceolate, acute, other bracts smaller and more filiform; flowers spreading or erect on slender pedicels 1–2.5(3) cm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 3–10 × 1–3 mm, ovate to narrowly lanceolate, acute
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla ± rotate to campanulate, divided ± to the base or occasionally lobes united for about half their length, cream or white, sometimes tinged with green; lobes 7–10(13) × 2.5–5 mm, ovate to elliptic, subacute, glabrous on outer face, inner face minutely pubescent with a shaggy indumentum of white hairs towards the apex and margins
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynostegium
Gynostegium with stipe 1–2.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona
Corona lobes white, arising near the base of the anther wings and reaching the top of the column or to about halfway, 2–4 × 1–2 mm, subglobose or somewhat compressed laterally, truncate and with a deep or shallow groove distally, the margins sometimes produced into a pair of teeth arching towards or over the head of the staminal column
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anther wings 2–3 mm long, vertical, frequently somewhat flared at base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinarium
Pollinaria with corpusculum 0.4–0.5 × 0.2 mm, ovoid, dark brown; translator arms 0.2–0.3 mm long, slender, straight or slightly articulated; pollinia 0.8–1.5 × 0.2–0.4 mm, ovoid-subcylindrical or linear-oblanceolate in outline and slightly flattened in section
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Stylar head flat, level with the top of the anthers
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Follicles single or paired, inflated or not, (3)3.5–6 × (0.5)1–2 cm, ovoid with a rounded apex to subcylindrical with a slender beak; fruiting pedicel not contorted; seeds generally inflated, not differentiated into disc and rim, 3–4 × 1–2 mm, ovoid, tapered towards the coma, smooth; coma 6–10 mm long.
Distribution
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique. Widely distributed in tropical Africa from Limpopo Province of South Africa northwards to Ivory Coast in the west and Somalia in the east, also known from Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Ecology
Growing in sand or among rocks in seasonally inundated watercourses; 100–1000 m.
[FZ]

Asclepiadaceae, A. A. Bullock. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit
A woody herb, stiffly erect, to 6 ft. high
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Creamy white sweet-scented flowers
Ecology
Along seasonal rivers.
[FWTA]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/13581896/13594766

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

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
  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical 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/
  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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