Compilation
Ochna debeerstii

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Name

Identification
Ochna debeerstii De Wild. [family OCHNACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet, Ochna leptoclada Oliv. [family OCHNACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet,
Related name
  • Ochna debeerstii
  • Ochna leptoclada

Flora

Entry for Ochna leptoclada Oliv. [family OCHNACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 2, Part 1, page 224, (1963) Author: N. K. B. Robson
Names
Ochna leptoclada Oliv. [family OCHNACEAE], F.T.A. 1: 318 (1868). — Gilg in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 33: 233 (1903). — Bak. f. in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot.40: 36 (1911). — Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. 5: 419 (1916). — Burtt Davy & Hoyle, N.C.L.: 56 (1936). — Brenan, T.T.C.L.: 383 (1949); in Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard. 8, 3: 234 (1953). — White, F.F.N.R.: 251, fig. 43F (1962). Syntypes: Nyasaland, Manganja Hills, Margomero, Meller (K); Maravi country, 12° S; 34° E, Kirk (K).
Ochnella leptoclada Oliv. Van Tiegh. [family OCHNACEAE], in Ann. Sci. Nat., Ser. 8, Bot. 16: 344 (1902). Syntypes as above.
Ochna debeerstii De Wild. [family OCHNACEAE], in Ann. Mus. Cong., Bot. Sér. 4, 1: 88 (Jan. 1903); in Rev. Zool. Afr. 7, Suppl. Bot.: 32 (1919). — Gilg, tom. cit.: 237 (Mar. 1903) pro parte quoad specim. cong. Syntypes from the Congo.
Ochnella debeerstii De Wild. Van Tiegh. [family OCHNACEAE], op. cit., Ser. 8, Bot. 18: 40 (1903). Syntypes as for Ochna debeerstii.
Information
Shrub or rhizomatous shrublet up to 1 (1·3) m. high (or sometimes a small tree?), with brown bark; shoots erect, ± branched often caespitose, smooth, terete or angular, greyish-white, not lenticellate, with epidermis exfoliating in papyraceous strips. Leaves petiolate, glaucous, rarely bluish-green or metallic-tinged; lamina (4) 6·5–12 × (1·2) 2–4·5 cm., obovate to oblanceolate or rarely oblong-elliptic, rounded (more rarely obtuse or apiculate) at the apex, with margin entire or remotely spinulose-serrulate, attenuate and recurved at the base, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, with ± widely spreading lateral nerves and densely reticulate tertiary venation scarcely prominent above (with main and subsidiary laterals equally prominent) but not below; petiole 2·5–4 mm. long, rather stout, flattened above. Flowers 1–3 (4), pseudumbellate, the pseudumbels usually forming narrowly cylindric or conic compound panicles; pedicels 0·9–2 (2·8) cm. long in fruit, articulated at the base. Sepals 3–5 mm. long in flower, oblong-elliptic, rounded, soon turning reddish, becoming crimson, 9–13 (15) mm. long and spreading in fruit. Petals bright yellow, 6–8 (9) × 4–5 (6) mm., obovate to elliptic, narrowed towards the base or shortly unguiculate. Stamens with anthers 1–2 mm. long, 2/3 as long to as long as the filaments, straight, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Carpels 5, with styles completely united; stigma globose. Drupelets 6–8 x 5–6 mm., subglobose, inserted at the base; embryo straight.
Habitat
Deciduous woodland on sandy soil
Altitude range
480–1800 m.
1800
480
Distribution
Mozambique M Manhiça, fr., Gomes e Sousa 53 (LISC).Mozambique T Maravia, between Chicoa and Fíngoè, fr. 24.ix.1942, Mendonça 383 (LISC).Mozambique Z between Mocuba and Namarroi, fr. 23.ix.1941, Torre 3465 (LISC).Malawi S Road to L. Shirwa, fl. 14.x.1955, Wiehe N/655 (K; SRGH).Malawi C Kota Kota Distr., Chia area, fr. 1.ix.1946,.Brass 17477 (BM; K; SRGH).Zimbabwe E Inyanga Distr., 29 km. N. of Troutbeck, 1000 m., fl. 20.ix.1959, Leach 9422 (K; SRGH).Zimbabwe C Salisbury, 1440 m., fr. 17.xii.1926, Eyles 4577 (K; SRGH).Zambia S Mapanza, Choma, fr. 28.xi.1957, Robinson 2512 (K; PRE; SRGH).Zambia E Lundazi to Chama, 100 km., 1350 m., fl. 19.x.1958, Robson 172 (BM; K; LISC; PRE; SRGH,.Zambia C between Broken Hill and Bwana Mkubwa, fl. x.1906, Alien 299 (K; SRGH).Zambia W Ndola, fr. 16.xii.1955, Fanshawe 2659 (K).Zambia N Lake Mweru, near Kafulwe Mission, fr. 6.xi.1952, White 3630 (FHO; K).Mozambique N Amaramba, Mandimba to Vila Cabral, 13 km., fl. 8.x.1942, Mendonça 653 (LISC).Malawi N Stevenson Road, 1500–1800 m., fl. 1893 m., fl.–4, Scott Elliot 8257 (BM; K).Zimbabwe N Urungwe Reserve, Msukwe R., 1200 m., fr. xi.1956, Davies 2245 (K; SRGH).Zambia B Kataba, fr. 30.x.1961, Fanshawe 6747 (K).
Distribution (external)
W. Tanganyika
E. Congo
Sudan
Notes
O. leptoclada is quite distinct from O. schweinfurthiana, but young specimens of the latter may be easily confused with it. The leaves of O. leptoclada tend to be almost entire and glaucous, whereas those of O. schweinfurthiana are densely serrulate and not usually glaucous except when young, but these differences do not appear to be constant. Mr. Milne-Redhead has noticed another difference in the field, viz. that the fruits of young O. schweinfurthiana become pendulous whereas those of O. leptoclada remain erect. Only by further observation in the field can the constancy of these distinguishing features be established.The specimen from Inyanga (Leach 9422) is said to be a tree 4 m. high and the Salisbury specimen (Eyles 4577) has narrowly elliptic leaves. The plant from Manhiça (Gomes e Sousa 53) was collected well to the south of the nearest S. Rhodesian and Mozambique localities, but is otherwise quite typical.

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