Compilation
Anthospermum vallicola
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Name
Identification
Anthospermum vallicola S.Moore [family RUBIACEAE ] (stored under name);
Related name
- Anthospermum vallicola
Flora
Entry for Anthospermum vallicola S. Moore [family RUBIACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 5, Part 1, (1989) Author: B. Verdcourt
Names
Anthospermum vallicola S. Moore [family RUBIACEAE], in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot. 40:103 (1911).—Puff in Pl. Syst. Evol., Suppl. 3: 212 (1986). TAB. 34, fig. D. Type: Zimbabwe, “Gazaland”, Chimanimani Mts., Swynnerton 2155 (BM, holotype).
Information
Dioecious shrub, often single-stemmed, erect, 1–3 m. tall. Stems much-branched above, branches ascending, ± papillate, densely leafy. Leaves in whorls of 3, pseudo-verticillate; blades (10)15–35(55) x (0.5)1–2(2.5) mm., linear to linear-lanceolate, glabrous, upper epidermis shiny, with large, conspicuous epidermis cells; margins revolute to ± flat; petioles subobsolete; stipular sheath hairy, with a narrowly triangular seta (0.3)0.7–1 (1.5) mm. long, sometimes flanked by a shorter seta on either side. Flowers subsessile (female) or with peduncles and pedicels to c. 1 mm. long (male),in clusters of many (very many: female) at nodes, inflorescences dimorphic, in female ± dense, cylindrical inflorescence zones; corolla 4-merous, greenish-yellow to pale yellow, sometimes reddish-tinged outside, glabrous. Male: tube 0.6–0.8(1) mm. long, (broadly) funnel-shaped, lobes 1.7–2.4(2.8) x 0.7–1 mm.; anthers (1.2)1.5–1.7(2) mm. long; rudimentary ovary sometimes hardly discernible, minute, with 4 ± linear to linear-lanceolate calyx lobes 0.1 -0.4 mm. long, and occasionally also rudimentary stigmas present. Female: tube 0.7–1.4 mm. long, lobes 0.4–0.8 x 0.1–0.2 mm.; style 0.5–1.5 mm. long, stigmas 5–9.5(14) mm. long; ovary 1–1.5 x 0.8–1.3 mm., with 4 long calyx lobes. Fruit reddish-brown, shiny; mericarps (1.8)2.2–3(3.5) x 1.3–1.7(1.8) mm., oblong, glabrous, with 2 narrowly triangular to ± deltoid calyx lobes (0.5)0.8–1.8(2.1) mm. long, often unequal in size, one sometimes only half as long as the other.
Habitat
In mixed sclerophyll scrub and ‘heath’ communities dominated by Philippia, usually in rocky areas
Range
Known only from Zimbabwe and Mozambique
Altitude range
c. 1700–2600 m.
2600
1700
Distribution
Mozambique MS Gorongosa Mt., Gogogo summit area, fl. v.1969, Tinley 1838 (K; LISC; SRGH).Zimbabwe E Chimanimani Distr., Mt. Peni summit, fl. 14.iv.1957, Chase 6415 (B; K; LISC; PRE; SRGH).
Notes
In the Chimanimani mountains, A. vallicola appears to hybridize occasionally with A. zimbabwense; putative hybrids: e.g. Grosvenor 196 (LISC; SRGH) or Wild 4578 (LISC; MO; SRGH).