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Osyris lanceolata Hochst. & Steud. [family SANTALACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

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, (2005) Author: P.M. Polhill, B.A., Ph.D., F.L.S.
Names
Osyris lanceolata Hochst. & Steud. [family SANTALACEAE], Exsicc. Unio Itin. Schimper s.n. cum descript. (1832); Stauffer in Viert. Nat. Ges. Zürich 106: 388, fig. 1 (1961); K.T.S.L.: 353, fig. (1994); Thulin in Fl. Somalia 2: 145, fig. 94 (1999); M. Coates Palgrave, Trees Southern Africa: 194, photo. 34 (2002). Type: Algeria, Schimper s.n. (B!, holo.; B (Herb. Lübeck)!, K!, MO, iso.) Osyris quadripartita Decne. [family SANTALACEAE], in Ann. Sci. Nat., sér. 2, 6: 65 (1836); A.G. Miller in Fl. Eth. 3: 382, fig. 116.3 (1989). Type: Algeria, Tangiers, Salzmann (K!, iso.) Osyris wightiana J.Graham [family SANTALACEAE], Cat. Pl. Bombay: 177 (1839); F.D.-O.A. 2: 145 (1932); T.T.C.L.: 551 (1949). Type: India, Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar, Sykes (CAL, holo.) Osyris abyssinica A.Rich. [family SANTALACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 236 (1850); Engler, Hochgebirgsfl.: 199 (1892); Baker & Hill in F.T.A. 6(1): 433 (1911); F.D.-O.A. 2: 144 (1932); T.T.C.L.: 551 (1949); I.T.U., ed. 2: 373 (1952). Types: Ethiopia, near Adua, Mt Sholoda, Schimper I. 281 (P, syn.; B!, BM!, BR, K!, isosyn.) & Tigray, Quartin Dillon s.n. (P. syn.) Osyris arborea A.DC. [family SANTALACEAE], Prodr. 14: 633 (1857); Robyns & Lawalrée in F.C.B. 1: 295 (1948). Types: several specimens from India and Nepal, including Nepal, Wallich 4035 (G-DC, syn.; K!, isosyn.) Osyris pendula Balf.f. [family SANTALACEAE], in Proc. Roy. Soc. Edinb. 12: 93 (1884). Type: Yemen, Socotra, Haghier Hills, B.C.S. 630 (K!, iso.) Osyris rigidissima Engl. [family SANTALACEAE], Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr.: 199 (1892); Baker & Hill in F.T.A. 6 (1): 433 (1911). Type: Northern Somalia, Surud [Serrut] Mts, Maydh [Meid], Hildebrandt 1539 (B!, holo.; BM!, iso.) Osyris tenuifolia Engl. [family SANTALACEAE], P.O.A. C: 167 (1895); Baker & Hill in F.T.A.6(1): 434 (1911); V.E. 3(1): 69, fig. 38 (1915). Type: Tanzania, Moshi District, below Marangu and Machame [Madschame], Volkens 1732 (B†, holo.; BR, iso.) Osyris parvifolia Baker [family SANTALACEAE], in K.B. 1910: 239 (1910); Baker & Hill in F.T.A. 6(1): 434 (1911). Type: Ethiopia, Shoa, Domak, Efat, Roth s.n. (K!, holo.) Osyris urundiensis De Wild. [family SANTALACEAE], in Ann. Soc. Sci. Brux. 44, 1: 373 (1925). Type: NE Burundi, region of Lakes Shohoho and Rugweru, collector unspecified (BR, holo.) Osyris densifolia Peter [family SANTALACEAE], F.D.-O.A. 2: 145, Anh. 11, t. 14/1 (1932); T.T.C.L.: 551 (1949). Type: Tanzania, Masai District, Ol Doinyo Sambu, Peter 2142b (B†, holo.) Osyris oblanceolata Peter [family SANTALACEAE], F.D.-O.A. 2: 145, Anh. 11, t. 14/2 (1932); T.T.C.L.: 551 (1949). Types: Mbulu District, Iraku, Malimo–Dungo, Peter 43791 & little waterfalls on Njajede stream, Peter 43801 (both B†, syn.) Osyris laeta Peter [family SANTALACEAE], F.D.-O.A. 2: 145, Anh. 11, t. 15/1 (1932); T.T.C.L.: 551 (1949). Type: Tanzania, Mbulu District, Masai Boma to Kampi ya Faru, Peter 43561 (B†, holo.) Osyris compressa [family SANTALACEAE], sensu auct., non (Berg.) A.DC.; Brenan in Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard9: 66 (1954); K.T.S.: 500 (1961); White, Dowsett-Lemaire & Chapman, Evergreen For. Fl. Malawi: 520 (2001)
Information
Shrub or small tree, 1.5–9(–14) m tall, all parts glabrous; bark coarsely furrowed; slash bright crimson; branches somewhat flattened and sometimes rather pendent. Leaves usually alternate, elliptic or elliptic-oblong, rarely obovate, 1.5–6.5x0.7–4 cm, abruptly apiculate, base cuneate, veins ± immersed, only midvein raised beneath and running back down stem in a narrow ridge; petiole 1–3 mm long, articulated to a small cushion. Flowers either hermaphrodite or male, plants androdioecious, hermaphrodite flowers in axils of upper leaves; peduncles solitary, usually 1-flowered, occasionally flowers in 2–3-flowered dichasia; male flowers both axillary and terminal, often panicled, each peduncle usually terminating in an umbellate cluster of flowers, rarely flowers solitary or in a 2–3-flowered dichasium; peduncles 4–28 mm long; bracts and bracteoles linear-lanceolate, 1–3 mm long. Perianth yellowish green, leathery; hermaphrodite flowers: tube 0.5–0.6 mm long, obscured inside by disk, lobes 3(–4), spreading, ovate-deltate, 1.5–2x1.8–2.2 mm, tips slightly hooded; male flowers similar. Stamens 3(–4); filaments 0.5–0.7 mm long; anthers 0.5 mm long. Ovary 2–2.8 mm long, ovules 3(–4) in hermaphrodite flowers, ovules and placenta aborted in male flowers; style 0.8–1 mm long, thick, cylindric; stigma in hermaphrodite flowers normally 4- rarely 3-lobed, lobes ellipsoid, prominent; in male flowers both style and stigma aborted or rudimentary. Fruit ellipsoid, 5–6.5 mm in diameter when dry, epicarp thin, fleshy, red when ripe. Fig. 5 (page 24).
Range
DISTR. U 1–3; K 1–7; T 1–8 widespread in Africa from Algeria to Ethiopia and south to South Africa; Europe (Iberian peninsula and Balearic Is.), Asia (India to China), Socotra
Altitude range
(50–)900–2700 m
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier Province Mt Kulal, Gatab, 21 Nov. 1978, Hepper & Jaeger 6991!;KENYA Kiambu District Kikuyu Escarpment Forest, 5 km above Lower Lari Forest Guard Post, 13 Dec. 1966, Perdue & Kibuwa 8227!;KENYA Teita District Bura, 28 Nov. 1997, Mwachala in Earth watch 430!TANZANIA Mbulu District Lake Manyara National Park, S of Msasa R., 11 Dec. 1963, Greenway & Kirrika 11175!;TANZANIA Ufipa District Mbisi Forest Reserve, 29 Oct. 1987, Ruffo & Kisema 2824!;TANZANIA Songea District Luhira [Luhila], 21 Oct. 1956, Semsei 2612!UGANDA Karamoja District Napak, 27 May 1940, A.S. Thomas 3588!;UGANDA Kigezi District Kamwezi, Feb. 1948, Purseglove 2584!;UGANDA Mbale District Elgon, Kaburoron [Kaburon], Jan. 1936, Eggeling 2485!
Notes
Great variation in leaf size and shape has elicited a considerable synonymy. The above list is not exhaustive. It has at times been included in O. compressa (Berg.) A.DC., but that species has the leaves generally opposite, the flowers are all hermaphrodite, the floral parts are generally in fours and the style is much shorter, as elucidated by Stauffer, loc. cit. (1961), and Hilliard in Edinb. J. Bot. 51: 391–392 (1994).  The wood has a fuel value as a substitute for sandalwood according to I.T.U., ed. 2: 373 (1952) & K.T.S.: 500 (1961).
Osyris lanceolata Hochst. & Steud. [family SANTALACEAE]
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