Compilation
Anthospermum muriculatum

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Name

Identification
Anthospermum muriculatum Hochst. ex A.Rich. [family RUBIACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet, Anthospermum herbaceum L.f. [family RUBIACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Puff, 1983
Related name
  • Anthospermum pachyrrhizum
  • Anthospermum muriculatum
  • Anthospermum herbaceum

Flora

Entry for ANTHOSPERMUM herbaceum var. herbaceum [family RUBIACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1976) Author: B. VERDCOURT
Names
ANTHOSPERMUM herbaceum var. herbaceum [family RUBIACEAE]
ANTHOSPERMUM lanceolatum Thunb. [family RUBIACEAE], Prodr. Pl. Cap.: 32 (1794); De Wild., Pl. Bequaert. 2: 301 (1923); F.P.N.A. 2: 371 (1947). Type: none cited, presumably a Thunberg specimen from the Cape
ANTHOSPERMUM muriculatum A. Rich. [family RUBIACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 345 (1847); Hiern in F.T.A. 3: 229 (1877). Types: Ethiopia, Wodjerat, Petit (P, syn.) & Koubi, Schimper 732 (P, syn., K, isosyn.!)
ANTHOSPERMUM mildbraedii K. Krause [family RUBIACEAE], in Z.A.E. 2: 341 (1911). Type: Rwanda, W. of Lake Mohasi, Mildbraed 497 (B, holo. †, BR, fragment!)
Information
Fruits glabrous, or minutely muriculate. Fig. 46.
Range
DISTR. U2, 3; K1–7; T1–3, 6–8
Altitude range
900–2590(–3240) m.
Distribution
KENYA NE. Elgon, Mar. 1960, Tweedie 1997!KENYA Kiambu District Muguga, 19 Sept. 1952, Verdcourt 728!KENYA Teita Hills, Yale Peak, 13 Sept. 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 4302!TANZANIA Lushoto District W. Usambara Mts, SW Shagai Forest, Kwegoka, 24 May 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 2717!TANZANIA Iringa District Dabaga Highlands, Kilolo, 10 Feb. 1962, Polhill & Paulo 1414!TANZANIA Songea District Matengo Hills, 3 km. NE. of Mpapa, by R. Luhekea, 25 May 1956, Milne-Redhead & Taylor 10452!UGANDA Ankole District Igara, Kyamahungu, May 1937, Purseglove 687!UGANDA Kigezi District Maziba, Dec. 1944, Puresglove 1607!UGANDA Mbale District Bulago, 27 Aug. 1932, A. S. Thomas 317!
Distribution (external)
Arabia
Ethiopia
E. Zaire
Rwanda
Mozambique
Malawi
Zambia
Rhodesia
South Africa
Notes
The specimens with long tangled styles, e.g. Rounce 422 (Tanzania, Morogoro District, Nguru Mts., 15 July 1935) are extraordinary but presumably the species is in the process of becoming adapted to wind pollination. It is very similar in habit to Otiophora pauciflora Bak. and easily confused, but readily distinguishable since, in that species, the fruit is crowned by the persistent calyx-lobe, not smooth and quite devoid of any trace of the calyx-lobes as in A. herbaceum. Study in the field is badly needed of the various sexual forms of the flowers. Archbold mentions in the to her 1182 (Tanzania, Lushoto, 16 Jan. 1970) that there seems to be three kinds of flowers—(a) short tube with 4 exserted stamens, (b) short tube with 2 exserted hairy stigmas, and (c) longer tube with 2 enclosed stigmas and stamens with lost anthers or staminodes. I have not seen hermaphrodite or ♀ flowers with the stigmas included nor any specimens with the anthers included. Field observations are needed to check if the smaller ♂ flowers ever set seed, if the plant is ever truly dioecious and if flowers exist with the stamens included.

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