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, (1998) Author: DAVIES & B. VERDCOURT
Names
PAULLINIA pinnata L. [family SAPINDACEAE], Sp. Pl.: 366 (1753); F.T.A. 1: 419 (1868); P.O.A. C: 249 (1895); Radlk., Monogr. Paullinia: 135 (1895) & in E.P. IV, 165: 247 (1931); F.P.N.A. 1: 514 (1948); U.O.P.Z.: 401, fig. on 403 (1949); T.T.C.L.: 560 (1949); F.P.S. 2: 343, fig. 127 (1952); C.F.A.: 73 (1954); F.W.T.A., ed. 2, 1: 710, fig. 196 (1958); Hauman in F.C.B. 9: 283 (1960); F.F.N.R.: 225 (1962); Haerdi in Acta Trop., suppl. 8: 124 (1964); Exell in F.Z. 2: 512, t. 102 (1966); Fouilloy & Hallé in Fl. Cameroun 16: 13, t. 1/1–9 (1973) & in Fl. Gabon 23: 13, t. 1/1–9 (1973); F.G. Davies in K.B. 32: 429–431 (1978); Vollesen inOpera Bot. 59: 58 (1980); Troupin, Fl. Rwanda 2: 310, fig. 96/2 (1983); Vollesen in Fl. Ethiopia 3: 493, fig. 125.5 (1990); Beentje, K.T.S.L.: 423, fig., map on 422 (1994); U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 164 (1994). Lectotype, chosen by F.G. Davies: Plumier, Descr. Pl. Amer.: 76, t. 91 (1693) (lecto.!)
Information
Shrubby climber 2.5–8(–?15) m. high, with a deep brown sharply ribbed stem up to 3.8 cm. wide at base. Leaves imparipinnate, 5-foliolate, (5–)15–25 cm. long, 8–20 cm. wide; petiole up to 10 cm. long, it and the rhachis winged, the wing 0.5–1.3 cm. wide; leaflets sessile or shortly stalked, ovate, elliptic or rhomboid, the terminal one 7–15 cm. long, 3.5–8 cm. wide, the laterals 3.5–10 cm. long, 1.7–5 cm. wide, acuminate, acute or obtuse at the apex, cordate, cuneate or narrowed at the base, subentire (rarely in our area), distantly dentate, serrate or shallowly lobed, subcoriaceous, glabrous, shining, with hairs present beneath on the venation and in tufts in the nerve axils; lateral nerves strong. Inflorescence a racemoid thyrse axillary in each of the upper leaves, 5–10 cm. long; peduncle 1–3×the length of the fertile portion, with apical pair of tightly coiled tendrils, or occasionally inflorescence sessile; inflorescence-axes brown-puberulent; pedicels 0–3 mm. long; flowers (3–)5–9 in cymose clusters, the terminal one often female and the remainder male. Flowers yellowish, creamy white or pink, scented, 5–6 mm. long; sepals ovate, unequal, outermost 1.5 mm. long, innermost 4 mm. long, pubescent on their outer surfaces; petals white, tongue-shaped, subequal, 5 mm. long, scale asymmetrically crested, ciliate, 3/4 of the length of the petal, yellow-tipped; disk to one side of the androgynophore, ciliate, consisting mainly of 2 large, plus 2 minute, ear-shaped glands. Stamens 8, 5 long and 3 short; anthers white; staminodes 8. Ovary pubescent; style trifid; rudimentary ovary much reduced. Fruit green, turning red or rose-red, obovoid or obovoid-oblong, 2.4–3.6 cm. long, 1.1–1.4 cm. wide, rounded or emarginate at the apex, mucronate, strongly narrowed at the base, 3-grooved, at first pubescent but later glabrous and finely rugulose, ultimately dehiscent. Seeds black, oblong-ellipsoid, 1–1.1 cm. long, 7–8 mm. wide; aril white. Fig. 26.
Range
DISTR. U 2–4; K 3, 4 ( fide U.K.W.F.), 5, 6 ( fide Davies), 7; T 1–4, 6–8; Z; P throughout tropical Africa, Madagascar, tropical and subtropical America
Distribution
KENYA Nandi District Kaimosi, SW. of Yala R. bridge, 18 Apr. 1965, Gillett 16699!KENYA S. Kavirondo District Migori R., 19 Dec. 1957, Jarrett SN/4!KENYA Kwale District Shimba Hills, Shimba Forest, 15 Mar. 1968, Magogo & Glover 284!TANZANIA Ngara District Bushubi, Muganza, 7 Sept. 1960, Tanner 5145!TANZANIA Lushoto District near Derema, 12 Mar. 1950, Verdcourt 107!TANZANIA Kilosa District Vigude, Kidodi, Nov. 1952, Semsei 1042!TANZANIA Zanzibar , Chwaka, km. 26, 25 Apr. 1960, Faulkner 2534!UGANDA Kigezi District Kanunga, Mar. 1946, Purseglove 1983!UGANDA Ankole District Ruizi R., 25 Nov. 1950, Jarrett 166!UGANDA Mengo District 17 km. on Kampala–Bombo road, Oct. 1930, Snowden 1764!
Notes
The tendrils are sometimes described as axillary and at base of inflorescence – certainly at the apices of shoots some tendrils are found in the axils and it is not clear if all the ‘peduncles’ bearing apical tendrils but no inflorescences will eventually bear inflorescences. The peduncles may in fact be modified branches. The stems are used for making ropes and for cane and basket work, e.g. fish traps. The plant has been used as a fish poison.