Compilation
Tragia arabica

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Name

Identification
Tragia arabica Baill. [family EUPHORBIACEAE ] (stored under name); Tragia parvifolia Pax [family EUPHORBIACEAE ]
Related name
  • Tragia parvifolia
  • Tragia arabica

Flora

Entry for TRAGIA pungens (Forssk.) Muell. Arg. [family EUPHORBIACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Somalia
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by S. Carter (Euphorbia, Monadenium), M. G. Gilbert (Acalypha, Andrachne, Antidesma, Bridelia, Caperonia, Cephalocroton, Chrozophora, Clutia, Dalechampia, Flueggea, Givotia, Manihot, Meineckia, Micrococca, Oldfieldia, Phyllanthus, Ricinus, Suregada, Tragia), and M. Thulin (Croton, Drypetes, Erythrococca, Excoecaria, Jatropha, Spirostachys and Thecacoris) [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Names
TRAGIA pungens (Forssk.) Muell. Arg. [family EUPHORBIACEAE], (1866);
Jatropha pungens Forssk. [family EUPHORBIACEAE], (1775);. [type as above]
TRAGIA cordifolia Vahl [family EUPHORBIACEAE], (1790) nom. illeg.;. [type as above]
TRAGIA cordata Willd. [family EUPHORBIACEAE], (1805) nom. illeg.;. [type as above]
TRAGIA arabica Prain [family EUPHORBIACEAE], (1913). [type as above]
TRAGIA parvifolia Pax [family EUPHORBIACEAE], (1894);. type: N2, Ahl Mts., Hildebrandt 891a (B holo. destr., K fragment).
TRAGIA arabica (Pax) Prain var. parvifolia [family EUPHORBIACEAE], in Fl. Trop. Afr. 6(1): (1913);. type: N2, Ahl Mts., Hildebrandt 891a (B holo. destr., K fragment).
Information
Sprawling or lianescent subshrub to 2 m long, occasionally erect, puberulent to subtomentose with conspicuous stinging hairs, especially on leaves. Petioles 0.8–2 cm; leaf-blade triangular-ovate to -lanceolate, 1.8–3.5(–4) x 0.9–2.2 cm, base shallowly cordate to subtruncate, tip rounded to acute, coarsely serrate to serrate-crenate. Monoecious; racemes terminal or leaf-opposed, to 6 cm long, unisexual or male with 1–2 female flowers near base. Male flowers in small clusters. Female sepals ovate in outline, accrescent to 9 mm long with 4–6 lobes each side, largely hidden by stinging hairs. Fruit c. 4.5 x 8 mm. Seeds c. 3 mm diam., pale reddish brown with overlapping whitish spots.
Range
N1, 2
Altitude range
910–2000 m.
Distribution
SOMALIA Beckett 923; Carter 840; Gillett & Watson 23781.
Distribution (external)
Ethiopia
tropical Arabia
Notes
Some collections from Somalia appear to be dioecious. The Somali material has also consistently narrower leaves than Ethiopian and Arabian material. For the nomenclature of the species, see Gilbert & Radcliffe-Smith in Kew Bull. 40: 393–394, 1985).

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