Compilation
Aneilema aequinoctiale

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Name

Identification
Aneilema aequinoctiale (P.Beauv.) Loudon [family COMMELINACEAE ]
Related name
  • Aneilema aequinoctiale
Common name
  • ẹfĩajija (AJC) (NIGERIA, YORUBA (Ondo)), Burkill, H.M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 1

Flora

Entry for Aneilema aequinoctiale [family COMMELINACEAE]
Herbarium
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Compton Herbarium, Cape Town (SAM)
Collection
Flora of Southern Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of South Africa, (2003) Author: Dr J.P. Roux
Names
Aneilema aequinoctiale [family COMMELINACEAE]
Common names
Commelina aequinoctialis P. Beauv., Fl. Oware 1: 65, t. 38 (1806). Lamprodithyros aequinoctialis (P. Beauv.) Hassk. in Schweinfurth, Beitrag Fl. Aethiop., 211 (1867). Aneiiema adhaerens Kunth, Enum. PI. 4: 72 (1843). Lamprodithyros adhaerens (Kunth) Hassk. in Schwein­furth, Beitrag Fl. Aethiop., 211 (1867), Aneiiema aequi­noctiale (P. Beauv.) Loudon var. adhaerens (Kunth) C. B. CI. in A. DC. Monogr. Phan. 3: 222 (1881). Type: Cape, St. John's River, 1839, Drege 4466 (G, lecto.!; B; FHO!; MO!;P!;S!). Aneilema dregeanum sensu Compton, Fl. Swaziland, 83 (1976), p. p., non Kunth (1843).
Information
Decumbent perennial with ascending or straggling shoots. Roots thin, fibrous. Leaves distichous, sheaths "sticky", leaf-blades (ex­cept the upper) petiolate, usually lanceolate-elliptic to ovate, 35-130(-165) x (10-)15-40(-50) mm, apex acute to acuminate. Inflo­rescences mostly terminal, 30-115 x 20-70 mm, with 2-7 alternate, opposite or whorled cincinni. Flowers perfect and staminate, c. 18-30 mm wide; paired petals yellow, c. 15 x 15 mm; lateral stamen filaments c. 11-18 mm long, bearded; style 11-21 mm long, purple. Capsules oblong-elliptic to obovate-oblong or obovate, trilocular or bilocular, (5-)7-10 x 3,5-6 mm, dorsal locule l(-0)-seeded, ven­tral locules 2-3-seeded. Seeds mostly ovate to trapezoidal or subquadrate, 1,9-2,6 x 1,95-2,15 mm, testa brown, faintly to shal-lowly foveolate-reticulate. Fig. 7: 4.
Habitat
The stems and sheaths often feel sticky because of the presence of hooked hairs. The plant is sometimes de­scribed as scrambling or scandent because the long shoots often become entangled in other plants. Aneiiema aequi­noctiale is easily separated from A. Johnstonii (below) by its larger flowers and fewer-branched, pubescent inflores­cences. When flowers are not available, it can be confused with A hockii (no. 1), which differs by its more tufted habit, proportionally narrower leaves, usually more branched inflorescences in which the branches (cincinni) are mostly whorled, and usually non-apiculate capsule valves. Under high magnification the cells of the capsule wall of A. aequinoctiale are isodiametric whereas those of A.hockii are transversely elongate.
Use
3. Aneilema aequinoctiale (P. Beauv.) Loudon, (Loudon's) Hort. Brit., 15 (1830); Kunth, Enum. PL 4: 72 (1843); C. B. CI. in A. DC, Monogr. Phan. 3: 221 (1881), p. p. and in F.C. 7: 12 (1897), p. p, and in F.T.A. 8: 65 (1901), p. p.; Brenan in Kew Bull. 7: 194 (1952); Morton in J. Linn. Soc, Bot. 59: 443 (1966); Brenan in F.W.T.A., edn 2, 3: 30 (1968); Ross, Fl. Natal, 117 (1972); Faden in Agnew, Upland Kenya Wild Flow., 664 (1974); Gibson, Wild Flow. Natal, PL 4, fig. 5 (1975); Compton, FL Swaziland, 83 (1976). Type: Nigeria: Oware and Benin, without specific locality. Palisot de Beauvois s.n. (G!).
Range
Transvaal, Swaziland, Natal and Transkei; also throughout tropical Africa to Guinea and Ethiopia. Grows at c. 0-1 000 m (-2 000 m?) in our area, in moist places, especially forests, forest edges and along streams, also roadsides, bush, thickets and occasionally grassland, usually in partial shade. Map 35.

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