Cometes abyssinicaR. Br. [family CARYOPHYLLACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet, Cometes apiculataDecne. [family CARYOPHYLLACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet,
Related name
Cometes abyssinica
Cometes apiculata
Flora
Entry for COMETES abyssinica Wall. [family ILLECEBRACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Somalia
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. G. Gilbert [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Broad shrublet to 45 cm high, sometimes flowering in first season as erect annual; all parts minutely erect-puberulent. Leaves narrow-elliptic or lanceolate to linear, (15–)20–35 x 2–6 mm, base slightly rounded, tip acute, soon glabrescent; stipules lacerate, c. 1.5 mm long, caducous. Peduncles 10–15 mm long; cymes soon enclosed by numerous appendages up to 15–17 mm long. Sepals c. 5 mm long, rigid, midrib ending in recurved spine c. 1.7 mm long, scarious margin prominently expanded near tip; petals narrowly oblong, as long as sepals; anthers exserted at anthesis; style as long as anthers. Infructescence pale green or greenish white, 2–3 cm diam. Fruits narrowly flattened, obovoid, dark brown. Seed 4.5 x 2.3 mm plus “beak” c. 1.2 mm long, pale brown.
Possibly largely restricted to areas with predominantly winter rainfall. The homologies of the appendages surrounding the inflorescences have been debated. They appear to be specialised sterile inflorescence branches rather than bracts as has often been implied.
