Compilation
Decastemon hirtus

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Name

Identification
Decastemon hirtus Klotzsch [family CAPPARACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet., Cleome hirta (Klotzsch) Oliv. [family CAPPARACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet.,
Related name
  • Cleome hirta
  • Decastemon hirtus

Flora

Entry for CLEOME hirta (Klotzsch) Oliv. [family CAPPARACEAE]
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, (1964) Author: J. ELFFERS, R. A. GRAHAM AND G. P. DEWOLF
Names
CLEOME hirta (Klotzsch) Oliv. [family CAPPARACEAE], in F.T.A. 1: 81 (1868); Gilg & Bened. in E.J. 53: 162 (1915); Gilg in V.E. 3(1): 228 (1915); Exell & Mendonça in C.F.A. 1: 56 (1937); Hauman & Wilczek in F.C.B. 2: 515, fig. 8C (1951); Wild in F.Z. 1: 199 (1960); F.P.U.: 48 (1962); F.F.N.R.: 61 (1962). Type: Mozambique, Sena, Peters (B, holo. !)
Decastemon hirtus Klotzsch [family CAPPARACEAE], in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot. 1: 157 (1861)
Polanisia hirta (Klotzsch) Pax [family CAPPARACEAE], in E.J. 10: 14 (1888); Gilg in P.O.A. C: 184 (1895)
Cleome glandulosissima Gilg [family CAPPARACEAE], in P.O.A. C: 184 (1895). Type: Tanganyika, Tabora, Stuhlmann 611 (B, syn !)
Cleome pulcherrima Busc. & Muschl. [family CAPPARACEAE], in E.J. 49: 467 (1913). Type: Tanganyika, Dodoma District, Kilimatinde, Prittwitz 141 (B, holo.!)
Cleome scheffleri Briq. [family CAPPARACEAE], in Ann. Conserv. Jard. Bot. Genève 17: 363 (1914). Type: Kenya, Machakos District, Kibwezi, Scheffler 374 (BM, K, iso. !)
Cleome hildebrandtii Gilg & Bened. [family CAPPARACEAE], in E.J. 53: 156 (1915). Type: Kenya, Mombasa I., Hildebrandt 1992 (B, holo. !, BM, K, iso. !)
Information
Annual or short-lived perennial herb, well branched, up to 1.5 m. tall, viscid. Stem densely covered with glandular hairs and stalked glands. Leaves petiolate, 5–7(–9)-foliolate; leaflets linear or narrowly linear-elliptic, l–5(–9) cm. long, 1–4 mm. wide, with the margin sometimes uneven, sparsely to densely glandular-hairy; petiole 0.5–6 cm. long. Inflorescence 10–30 cm. or more long; bracts leafy, but mostly much smaller than the leaves. Sepals linear, 4–6(–8) mm. long, usually glandular. Petals 1–1.8 cm. long, magenta, mauve, purple or pink. Stamens (6–8–)10–12; filaments glandular, at least at the base. Gynophore 4–15 mm. long, commonly shorter than the pedicel. Capsules 6–12 cm. long, glandular. Seeds ± 2 mm. in diameter, glabrous, with fine longitudinal striations and irregular, usually pronounced transverse ridges. Fig. 2/4, p. 10.
Range
DISTR. U1–4; K1, 2, 4–7; T1–8
Altitude range
0–1800 m.
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier Province Sololo, 2 Aug. 1952, Gillett 13668 !KENYA W. Suk District May 1932, Napier 2063 !;KENYA Kitui District Mutha Plains, Aug. 1938, Joana in Bally 4715 !TANGANYIKA Ufipa District Mpui, 17 Mar. 1957, Richards 8779!TANGANYIKA Mpwapwa, 28 Aug. 1930, Greenway 2481 !TANGANYIKA Lindi, Jan. 1952, Semsei 629 !UGANDA Teso District Kumi, May 1932, Chandler 561 !;UGANDA Mbale District Walulumbu Forest Reserve, Ntinkalu, E. of Jinja, 5 Aug. 1952, G. H. S. Wood 317 !;UGANDA Masaka District Nabugabo, Sept. 1932, Hopkins in Tothill 1156 !
Distribution (external)
; Mozambique
Nyasaland
Northern and Southern Rhodesia
Rwanda
Congo Republics
also Ethiopia
Notes
C. hildebrandtii seems to be merely a depauperate form of C. hirta, with small flowers, 8–9 stamens, rather thin flaccid leaves and generally less glandular-hairy. Owing to intermediates, which are common, it becomes impossible to separate itfrom the latter on the characters provided by Gilg & Benedict, although the seeds— which they fail to mention—have a rather different appearance owing to the transverse ridges being only poorly developed.   C. pulcherrima is a beautiful variant with the inflorescences resembling those of C. allamanii, from which it differs in its seed characters.  Two gatherings, both from Masai District, Kenya (rocky scree bordering Koora Plain, Wimbush 21 ! and Ol Lorgasailic Camp, Bally 4008!) may be referable to a new species. Both have the general appearance of C. hirta with rather longer gyno-phores (1.5–1 .8 cm.), but they differ in their seeds which are smaller, not exceeding 1.5 mm. in diameter and having only slightly pronounced transverse ridges. In Wimbush 21 there seem to be only 9 stamens. Unfortunately both gatherings are of poorly prepared depauperate plants and it is largely for this reason that no separation from C. hirta is attempted. Further collecting in the Koora–Ol Lorgasailic area is highly desirable.

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