Compilation
Maerua tomentosa

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Name

Identification
Maerua tomentosa Pax [family CAPPARACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet., Maerua angolensis DC. [family CAPPARACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet.,
Related name
  • Maerua tomentosa
  • Maerua angolensis

Flora

Entry for MAERUA angolensis DC. [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
MAERUA angolensis DC. [family CAPPARACEAE], Prodr. 1: 254 (1824); F.T.A. 1: 86 (1868); Gilg in P.O.A. C: 187 (1895); Gilg & Bene., in E.J. 53: 257 (1915); Gilg in V.E. 3(1): 253, fig. 167/A–D (1915); Chiov., Fl. Somala 2: 7 (1932); T.S.K.: 10 (1936); Exell & Mendonça in C.F.A. 1: 59 (1937); F.P.N.A. 1: 208 (1948); T.T.C.L.: 118 (1949); F. W. Andr., Fl. Pl. A.-E. Sudan 1: 52, fig. 39 (1950); Hauman & Wilczek in F.C.B. 2: 487 (1951); I.T.U., ed. 2: 75, fig. 19 (1952); Milne-Redh, in Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard. 8: 217 (1953); F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 1: 88 (1954); Wild in F.Z. 1: 228, t. 35/F (1960); K.T.S.: 125, fig. 24 (1961); F.F.N.R.: 64 (1962). Type: Angola, Benguela, José da Silva (P, holo.!)
MAERUA tomentosa Pax [family CAPPARACEAE], in E.J. 14: 305 (1891); Gilg in P.O.A. C: 187 (1895): Gilg & Bened. in E.J. 53: 256 (1915); T.T.C.L.: 119 (1949). Type: Kenya/ Tanganyika, probably from the area around Lake Victoria, Fischer 71 (B, holo. !)
MAERUA bukobensis Gilg & Bened. [family CAPPARACEAE], in E.J. 53: 255 (1915); Gilg in V.E. 3(1): 252 (1915); T.T.C.L.: 119 (1949). Type: Tanganyika, Bukoba District, Bronia, near Bukoba, Holtz 1635 (B, holo. !)
Information
Shrub or small tree up to about 10 m. tall, often rather rambling, with spreading or drooping branches. Young twigs pubescent or subglabrous. Leaves petiolate, simple; blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, more rarely obovate to suborbicular, 3–10 cm. long, 1.5–5 cm. wide, apically obtuse, emarginate or rounded, sometimes mucronate, basally usually rounded to cordate, glabrous or more rarely pubescent; petiole 1–3 cm. long. Inflorescence a short corymbose raceme, terminal or on short lateral branches; pedicels 8–12 mm. long. Sepals white or pale green, marginally tomentose; receptacle narrowly cylindrical, usually rather long, 5–25 mm. long, often fleshy, ribbed. Petals 0. Stamens many, variable in number, 15–40 mm. long, yellow. Ovary narrowly cylindrical, glabrous. Fruits cylindrical, up to 22 cm. long, markedly torulose, green, verrucose, glabrous.
Range
DISTR. U1–3; K1, 4–7; T1–8 from Somali Republic (N.) to South Africa (Natal) and west to Senegal
Altitude range
0–1500 m.
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier Province Moyale, 4 July 1952, Gillett 13496 !;KENYA Masai District Nguruman Escarpment, 25 Sept. 1944, Bally 3815 !;KENYA Kwale District between Samburu and Mackinnon Road, near Taru, 9 Sept. 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 4218 !TANGANYIKA Mwanza District Urima, Nyamasendi, 16 Oct. 1951, Tanner 445 !;TANGANYIKA Ufipa District Kasanga, 17 June 1957, Richards 10144!;TANGANYIKA Rufiji District Mafia, Chole I., 19 Sept. 1937, Greenway 5268 !UGANDA Karamoja District Emoruangaberru plain, 20 July 1958, Dyson-Hudson 449 !;UGANDA Bunyoro District Butiaba Flats, Oct. 1933, Eggeling 1439 !;UGANDA Ankole District near Lake Nakivali, Mar. 1931, Kennedy 1986 ! & 1988 !
Notes
The sepals are usually glabrous except for the margins, but more rarely (Toro District, Ruwenzori, Osmaston 3745 !; Ufipa District, Kasanga, Richards 10144!) they are densely pubescent on both surfaces; intermediates occur. M. tomentosa and M. bukobensis are merely such hairy forms.  M. thomsonii T. Anders. (M. socotrana (Schweinf.) Gilg), recorded from Ethiopia, Somali Republic, Socotra and Aden, appears to be an ecological variant of no taxonomic significance, but more well-collected material is needed before a definite conclusion can be reached.

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