Hermannia pseudathiensis Cheek [family STERCULIACEAE]

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, Author: MARTIN CHEEK AND LAURENCE DORR
Names
Hermannia pseudathiensis Cheek [family STERCULIACEAE], in K.B. 61: 217 (2007). Type: Kenya, Northern Frontier District: 80 km SW of Wajir, Bally & A.R. Smith B14503 “sheet 2/2”(K!, holo., iso!; EA, iso)
Information
Shrub 0.2–0.3 m tall, with a single main stem producing several branches, 3–6 mm diameter at ground level, stellate-hairy, soon glabrous, glaucous, underground rootstock not recorded. Leaf-blade lanceolate or lanceolate-rhombic, less usually elliptic, 1.7–4(–7)≈0.8–1.3(–4) cm, apex rounded, base cuneate or rounded, margin serrate, each side with 12–17 teeth, 0.5–1≈1.5–5 mm, nerves 4–5(–6) on each side of the midrib, grey velvety hairy on both surfaces, very densely so below, with dense stellate hairs; petiole 6–14(–40) mm long; stipules subulate, 2–4 mm long. Inflorescence racemose, (4.5–)6–9.5 cm long, yellow, white-hairy with stellate hairs, basal internodes elongated, ± 2 cm, partial-inflorescences ascending, 4–7, 2–3 cm long at base, each bearing 1 flower, lowest partial peduncle 20–30 mm long; lower peduncular bracts trifid, 3.5–8 mm long; partial rhachis bracts and pedicellar bracts absent; pedicel u-shaped, (2–)3–4 mm long. Flowers apparently nodding, pale yellow or white, width unknown. Calyx base campanulate, 2–3≈3–6 mm, lobes narrowly triangular, 6≈1.5–2 mm, fairly densely white stellate-hairy. Petals weakly clawed, 11–12 mm long, blade widely elliptic, ± 7–8≈5 mm, claw suboblong, ± 3≈2 mm, margins not involute, glabrous. Stamen filaments suboblong, ± 1.5≈0.7 mm, lacking appendages, glabrous, anther ± 5≈1 mm. Ovary subcylindrical to narrowly ellipsoid, 3.5≈2.5 mm, ovules 10–15 per locule, style 4.5 mm long. Fruit capsule not seen, immature fruits 3-seeded. Fig. 19, p. 116.
Range
DISTR. K 1 not known elsewhere
Altitude range
200–350 m
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier District Wajir–Habaswein road, 29 Nov. 1978, Brenan et al. 14849 ! & 26 km NE of Habaswein, 27 April 1978, Gilbert & Thulin 1117!KENYA Garissa District Mado Gashi–Garissa, 13 km S of Mado Gashi, 11 Dec. 1977, Stannard & Gilbert 930–960!
Notes
LOCAL USES. None are recorded.  This species appears restricted in distribution to the area near Wajir inK1. Overgrazing by e.g. goats is a major problem in this area (Luke, pers. comm. 2003) and may be a threat to this species, though the woody rootstock characteristic of perennial Hermannia could afford some protection. Conversely,K1 is so poorly collected that the range of this species may yet prove to be larger than that already known (Luke pers. comm. 2003). H. pseudathiensis is rated (Cheek 2004) as VU D2, that is vulnerable to extinction by stochastic changes being known from less than 5 sites (only four specimens are known) with an area of occupancy of less than 20,000 km2.   H. pseudathiensis is known from only the few, poor specimens cited above (of which the best is Bally & Radcliffe-Smith B14503). These were previously named as either H. athiensis or H. uhligii, with which it shares similarities such as trifid basal bracts . Hermannia pseudathiensis differs from the last two in being racemose (partial-inflorescences 1-flowered, not several flowered), with a much longer, more diffuse inflorescence (internodes between partial-inflorescences ± 2 cm, not 1 cm or less), in lacking partial-peduncular and pedicellar bracts, in the u-shaped pedicels (not ± straight) and in the generally shorter stipules. More collections of Hermannia pseudathiensis are needed to elucidate this species further and to improve its description. Open flowers and mature fruits are entirely unknown in this species.
Hermannia pseudathiensis Cheek [family STERCULIACEAE]
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