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GISEKIA pharnaceoides L. [family GISEKIACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Somalia
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. G. Gilbert [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Names
GISEKIA pharnaceoides L. [family GISEKIACEAE], (1771). GISEKIA pharnaceoides Moq. var. sieberi [family GISEKIACEAE], in DC. Prodr. 13(2): 27 (1849). GISEKIA rubella Moq. [family GISEKIACEAE], (1849).
Information
Prostrate to ascending ephemeral or short-lived perennial, stems to 0.7 m long. Leaf base attenuate into ill-defined petiole, tip obtuse or subacute. Inflorescences mostly axillary, with at least some, often most, flowers in umbels of 3 or more. Flowers always bisexual. Fruiting pedicels up to 3.5–8 mm long, fairly stout, usually curved. Sepals 1.8–2.6(–3) mm long, whitish, sometimes flushed pink, mauve or yellow. Stamens 5; filaments with wide base. Carpels 5, sculptured forms spiny-papillose or winged.
Range
N1; C1; S1 Eritrea, Ethiopia, south to South Africa, west to Nigeria, east to Indo-China.
Altitude range
sea level to 1430 m.
Distribution
SOMALIA Gillett 4428, 4459, 4534; Thulin & Bashir Mohamed 6749.
Notes
Material from South Africa approaches G. africana in habit and flower size which is larger than in northern material. Only the stamen count gives a reliable separation in that area and perhaps the complex needs more detailed study. The Somali material is var. pharnaceoides. Many collections from eastern Arabia and adjacent areas of Iran and Pakistan have winged mericarps and are placed in var. alata M. Gilbert.
GISEKIA pharnaceoides L. [family GISEKIACEAE]
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