Marsdenia cynanchoides Schltr.

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

Mozambique, Dondo [25 Miles Station], Beira, 10.iv.1898, Schlechter 12243 (K lectotype, B†, MO), lectotype designated here.

Morphology General Habit

Slender woody scrambler to c.3 m high, latex colour not recorded, arising from a cluster of fleshy fusiform roots; stems glabrous or pubescent, corky below

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petiole 0.5–1.5(2.5) cm long, pubescent on upper face; lamina 3–12 × 1.5–5.5 cm, oblong to elliptic, apex rounded to acute, usually shortly and abruptly acuminate, base cuneate or occasionally rounded, glabrous or sparesly pubescent above, glabrous except for a few short hairs along principal veins below

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences extra-axillary, subsessile, appearing umbelliform but flowers on two or more short branches, inflorescence generally shorter than the petioles of the adjacent leaf pair, glabrous or glabrescent below; bracts 0.5–1 mm long, ovate to lanceolate, glabrous but with ciliate margins; pedicels 3–5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 1–2 mm long, lanceolate to suborbicular with a rounded apex, glabrous, margins ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flower buds broadly cylindrical to subglobose, the corolla lobes overlapping to the right

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla cream or green, united into a tube for half to two-thirds of its length and completely enclosing the gynostegium; tube 1–2 mm long, glabrous outside, inner face pubescent, usually also with 5 patches of downward-pointing hairs near the base of the tube and a band of white hairs to 1 mm long in the throat; lobes spreading, 1–1.5 mm long, c.1 mm wide, oblong with a rounded apex, glabrous outside, glabrous or minutely papillose within beyond the tuft of long hairs in the throat

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corolline corona absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Staminal corona lobes 1–2 mm long, fleshy, quadrate to triangular in section below and adnate to the staminal column for half their length, the upper half free and forming a slender tongue arching over the top of the stylar head

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anther wings c.0.7–0.8 mm long, much longer than broad; gynostegium ± sessile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinarium

Corpusculum c.0.2 mm long, subcylindrical; translator arms c.0.1 mm long; pollinia c.0.2 × 0.2 mm, broadly elliptic in outline, somewhat flattened

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Stylar head not exserted beyond anther appendages

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Mature seeds not seen. Follicles poorly preserved, c.7 cm long, 2 cm wide, smooth, glabrous

Distribution

Zimbabwe, Mozambique. Also recorded from SE Tanzania

Ecology

Mixed deciduous woodland or thicket on sandy or stony ground; 20–700 m.

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

Morphology General Habit

Slender woody scrambler to ± 3 m high, latex colour not recorded, arising from a cluster of fleshy fusiform roots.

Morphology Stem

Stems glabrous or pubescent, corky below

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petiole 0.5–1.5(–2.5) cm long, pubescent on upper face; lamina oblong to elliptic, 3–12 × 1.5–5.5 cm, apex rounded to acute, usually shortly and abruptly acuminate, base cuneate or occasionally rounded, glabrous except for a few short hairs along the midrib above

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences extra-axillary, subsessile, appearing umbelliform but flowers on two or more short branches, inflorescence generally shorter than the petioles of the adjacent leaf pair, glabrous or glabrescent below.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts 0.5–1 mm long, ovate to lanceolate, glabrous but with ciliate margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 3–5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals lanceolate to suborbicular, 1–2 mm long, apex rounded, glabrous, margins ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flower buds broadly cylindrical to subglobose, the corolla lobes overlapping to the right

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla cream or green, united into a tube for half to two-thirds of its length and completely enclosing the gynostegium; tube 1–2 mm long, glabrous outside, inner face pubescent, usually also with 5 patches of downward-pointing hairs near the base of the tube and a band of white hairs to 1 mm long in the throat; lobes spreading, oblong with a rounded apex, 1–1.5 × ± 1 mm, glabrous outside, glabrous or minutely papillose within beyond the tuft of long hairs in the throat.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corolline corona absent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal corona lobes 1–2 mm long, fleshy, quadrate to triangular in section below and adnate to the staminal column for half their length, the upper half free and forming a slender tongue arching over the top of the stylar head

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anther wings 0.7–0.8 mm long, much longer than broad.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynostegium

Gynostegium ± sessile; corpusculum subcylindrical, ± 0.2 mm long; translator arms ± 0.1 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia broadly elliptic in outline, ± 0.2 × 0.2 mm, somewhat flattened

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Stylar head not exserted beyond anther appendages.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Follicles poorly preserved, ± 7 cm long, 2 cm wide, smooth, glabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Mature seeds not seen.

Ecology

Mixed deciduous woodland or thicket on sandy or stony ground; 200–700 m

Note

SYN. Gongronema taylori sensu Bullock in K.B. 15: 201 (1961), pro parte excl. type Perhaps growing in more fire-prone habitats that the preceding species.

Distribution

Range: Also recorded from northern and central Mozambique, and the lower Sabi Valley of south-eastern Zimbabwe Flora districts: T8