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Melhania velutina Forssk. [family STERCULIACEAE]

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, Author: MARTIN CHEEK AND LAURENCE DORR
Names
Melhania velutina Forssk. [family STERCULIACEAE], Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.: cvii, 64 (1775); E.P.A.: 579 (1959); Bamps in F.C.B. 10: 253 (1963); F.P.U.: 58 (1971); U.K.W.F.: 191, fig. p. 192 (1974); Vollesen in Opera Bot. 59: 34 (1980); Blundell, Wild Flow. Kenya: 47 (1982); Troupin, Fl. Rwanda 2: 403 (1983); Blundell, Wild Flow. E. Afr.: 73 (1987); Sapieha, Wayside Flow. E. Afr.: t. 287 (1987); U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 97 (1994); Vollesen in Fl. Eth. 2(2): 174–175, figs. 80.4/4, 80.5/1–4 (1995); Thulin, Fl. Som. 2: 26, fig. 12, A-D (1999). Types: Yemen, Jebel Milhan [in monte Melhân], 1763, Forsskål s.n. (BM!, syn.); Forsskål 510 (C, syn.); Forsskål 1909 (LIV, syn.) Pentapetes velutina (Forssk.) Vahl [family STERCULIACEAE], Symb. Bot. 1: 49 (1790) Melhania ferruginea A.Rich. [family STERCULIACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 76 (1847); Mast. in F.T.A. 1: 231 (1868); K. Schum. in Engl., Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr.: 303 (1892); P.O.A. C: 269 (1895); Baker f. in J.B. 36: 5 (1898); K. Schum. in E.M. 5: 14–15, t. 1, fig. C (1900); De Wild., Pl. Bequaert. 1: 515 (1922); Cufod. in Miss. Biol. Borana, Racc. Bot. 4: 135 (1939); F.P.N.A. 1: 604 (1948); T.T.C.L.: 601 (1949); F.P.S. 2: 5–6 (1952). Type: Ethiopia, “Aderbati,” Taccazé valley, Sep., Quartin-Dillon & Petit 38 (P, holo.; K!, iso.) Melhania malacochlamys K.Schum. [family STERCULIACEAE], in E.M. 5: 13–14 (1900); T.T.C.L.: 601 (1949). Type: Tanzania, Mwanza District: Kagehi, Dec. 1885, Fischer 79 (B†, holo.)
Information
Perennial herb or subshrub, to 1(–2.5) m tall; erect; young stems pale yellowish to brownish or ferruginous pubescent to tomentose or velutinous,thehairs sessile-stellate, stalked-stellate, and tufted; sparsely pubescent in age. Leaves ovate to broadly ovate (rarely some leaves obovate), 2.5–13 cm long, 1–6 cm wide, apex rounded to emarginate, margin shallowly serrate, base rounded (rarely somewhat cuneate), tomentose above, the hairs stellate or long-armed tufted, paler below and usually more densely stellate, especially along veins and leaf margin, the hairs stellate or long-armed tufted and often reddish-brown, especially along the veins and leaf margin; palmately 3–5-nerved from the base; petiole 0.6–3 cm long, ± 1–2 mm wide, reddish-brown, golden-brown to light-brown velutinous; stipules filiform (rarely subulate), 0.4–1.7 cm long, reddish brown when dry (with scattered stellate hairs), tardily dehiscent. Inflorescences 2–4-flowered cymes, occasionally appearing subumbellate, or flowers solitary; peduncle 1.8–8.5 cm long; pedicels 0.2–4 cm long; both peduncle and pedicels velutinous to tomentose; epicalyx bracts broadly ovate, asymmetrical, 4–12 mm long, 2–8 mm wide, often slightly accrescent in fruit, apex sharply narrowing, acuminate, base cuneate to very shallowly cordate, reddish-brown, golden-brown to pale-yellow velutinous. Floral buds widely ovoid, the sepal tips free. Sepals narrowly ovate, 7–12 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, often slightly accrescent in fruit, velutinous without, glabrous within. Petals obovate, asymmetrical, 6–10 mm long, 4–7 mm wide, yellow, glabrous. Staminal tube ± 1 mm long, free portion of filaments 1–1.5 mm long, anthers ± 1.5 mm long, free portion of staminodes 4–5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary ovoid, 2–3 mm long, 2–3(–7) mm in diameter, densely velutinous; 10–12 ovules per locule; style 0.5–2.5 mm long, briefly pubescent at base; stigma lobes 0.5–1 mm long, erect to spreading or recurved. Capsule ovoid, sometimes pointed at the apex, 6–10 mm long, 6–9 mm in diameter, tomentose; 4–12 seeds per locule; seed trigonous, ± 1.7 mm long, ± 1.2 mm wide, testa scatteredly tuberculate, without an elaisome.
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 3?,4–7; T 1–6, 8; Z
Altitude range
(sea-level–)700–1950 (–2250) m
Distribution
KENYA Machakos District Kibwezi, Mar. 1921, Dummer 4603!KENYA Kisumu-Londiani District Nyahera Hills–Kisumu, 17 Apr. 1965, Kokwaro 61!KENYA Kilifi District Jilore, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, 28 Nov. 1961, Polhill & Paulo 874!TANZANIA Mbulu District Tarangire National Park, road to Burungi, 12 Feb. 1970, Richards 25407!TANZANIA Lushoto District Lushoto–Mombo road, 2 km SW of Gare turnoff, 16 June 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 2929!TANZANIA Uzaramo District Oyster Bay, 26 June 1968, Batty 172!TANZANIA Zanzibar I. 1931, Vaughan 1066!UGANDA Karamoja District Lomaler–Kakamari road, June 1930, Liebenberg 218!UGANDA Toro/Ankole District Lake George flats, Sep. 1938, Purseglove 397!UGANDA Teso District Serere, Dec. 1931, Chandler 100!
Distribution (external)
Congo-Kinshasa Rwanda Burundi Sudan Eritrea Ethiopia Somalia Malawi, possibly Angola Saudi Arabia Yemen
Notes
LOCAL USES. In Kenya, string is made from the fibres of the stems (Glover et al. 672).  This species appears to be widespread and common, and its habitat not significantly threatened as far as is known. It is rated here as of “least concern” for conservation.  The stellate hairs with reddish-brown arms are a distinctive, if somewhat inconstant, feature of M. velutina. Almost all the other East African species possess stellate hairs with reddish-brown stalks or reddish-brown lepidote hairs, but the arms of these are never pigmented. Melhania forbesii Mast. of southern Africa is very similar to M. velutina (it apparently differs in having larger epicalyx bracts and generally more oblong leaves). Schumann (1900) also considered the number of ovules in each cell to be a key difference; 6 in M. forbesii versus 10–12 in M. velutina. This, however, does not seem to be a reliable distinction since a cursory examination of several specimens of M. forbesii from Botswana show there to be as many as 9 seeds per locule. Melhania forbesii may prove after further study to be a synonym of M. velutina. According to Thulin (1999: 26), M. engleriana K.Schum. is close to M. velutina but if the illustration provided by Schumann (in E.M. 5: t. 1, fig. F, a & b.1900) is correct the relationship would seem to be with M. ovata (Cav.) Spreng. and relatives. There is one chromosome number report (n =30) for M. velutina vouchered by a collection from Kenya (Bates in Gentes Herb. 10: 39–46, 1967).

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, Author: MARTIN CHEEK AND LAURENCE DORR
Names
Melhania velutina Forssk. [family STERCULIACEAE], Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.: cvii, 64 (1775); E.P.A.: 579 (1959); Bamps in F.C.B. 10: 253 (1963); F.P.U.: 58 (1971); U.K.W.F.: 191, fig. p. 192 (1974); Vollesen in Opera Bot. 59: 34 (1980); Blundell, Wild Flow. Kenya: 47 (1982); Troupin, Fl. Rwanda 2: 403 (1983); Blundell, Wild Flow. E. Afr.: 73 (1987); Sapieha, Wayside Flow. E. Afr.: t. 287 (1987); U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 97 (1994); Vollesen in Fl. Eth. 2(2): 174–175, figs. 80.4/4, 80.5/1–4 (1995); Thulin, Fl. Som. 2: 26, fig. 12, A-D (1999). Types: Yemen, Jebel Milhan [in monte Melhân], 1763, Forsskål s.n. (BM!, syn.); Forsskål 510 (C, syn.); Forsskål 1909 (LIV, syn.) Pentapetes velutina (Forssk.) Vahl [family STERCULIACEAE], Symb. Bot. 1: 49 (1790) Melhania ferruginea A.Rich. [family STERCULIACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 76 (1847); Mast. in F.T.A. 1: 231 (1868); K. Schum. in Engl., Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr.: 303 (1892); P.O.A. C: 269 (1895); Baker f. in J.B. 36: 5 (1898); K. Schum. in E.M. 5: 14–15, t. 1, fig. C (1900); De Wild., Pl. Bequaert. 1: 515 (1922); Cufod. in Miss. Biol. Borana, Racc. Bot. 4: 135 (1939); F.P.N.A. 1: 604 (1948); T.T.C.L.: 601 (1949); F.P.S. 2: 5–6 (1952). Type: Ethiopia, “Aderbati,” Taccazé valley, Sep., Quartin-Dillon & Petit 38 (P, holo.; K!, iso.) Melhania malacochlamys K.Schum. [family STERCULIACEAE], in E.M. 5: 13–14 (1900); T.T.C.L.: 601 (1949). Type: Tanzania, Mwanza District: Kagehi, Dec. 1885, Fischer 79 (B†, holo.)
Information
Perennial herb or subshrub, to 1(–2.5) m tall; erect; young stems pale yellowish to brownish or ferruginous pubescent to tomentose or velutinous,thehairs sessile-stellate, stalked-stellate, and tufted; sparsely pubescent in age. Leaves ovate to broadly ovate (rarely some leaves obovate), 2.5–13 cm long, 1–6 cm wide, apex rounded to emarginate, margin shallowly serrate, base rounded (rarely somewhat cuneate), tomentose above, the hairs stellate or long-armed tufted, paler below and usually more densely stellate, especially along veins and leaf margin, the hairs stellate or long-armed tufted and often reddish-brown, especially along the veins and leaf margin; palmately 3–5-nerved from the base; petiole 0.6–3 cm long, ± 1–2 mm wide, reddish-brown, golden-brown to light-brown velutinous; stipules filiform (rarely subulate), 0.4–1.7 cm long, reddish brown when dry (with scattered stellate hairs), tardily dehiscent. Inflorescences 2–4-flowered cymes, occasionally appearing subumbellate, or flowers solitary; peduncle 1.8–8.5 cm long; pedicels 0.2–4 cm long; both peduncle and pedicels velutinous to tomentose; epicalyx bracts broadly ovate, asymmetrical, 4–12 mm long, 2–8 mm wide, often slightly accrescent in fruit, apex sharply narrowing, acuminate, base cuneate to very shallowly cordate, reddish-brown, golden-brown to pale-yellow velutinous. Floral buds widely ovoid, the sepal tips free. Sepals narrowly ovate, 7–12 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, often slightly accrescent in fruit, velutinous without, glabrous within. Petals obovate, asymmetrical, 6–10 mm long, 4–7 mm wide, yellow, glabrous. Staminal tube ± 1 mm long, free portion of filaments 1–1.5 mm long, anthers ± 1.5 mm long, free portion of staminodes 4–5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary ovoid, 2–3 mm long, 2–3(–7) mm in diameter, densely velutinous; 10–12 ovules per locule; style 0.5–2.5 mm long, briefly pubescent at base; stigma lobes 0.5–1 mm long, erect to spreading or recurved. Capsule ovoid, sometimes pointed at the apex, 6–10 mm long, 6–9 mm in diameter, tomentose; 4–12 seeds per locule; seed trigonous, ± 1.7 mm long, ± 1.2 mm wide, testa scatteredly tuberculate, without an elaisome.
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 3?,4–7; T 1–6, 8; Z
Altitude range
(sea-level–)700–1950 (–2250) m
Distribution
KENYA Machakos District Kibwezi, Mar. 1921, Dummer 4603!KENYA Kisumu-Londiani District Nyahera Hills–Kisumu, 17 Apr. 1965, Kokwaro 61!KENYA Kilifi District Jilore, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, 28 Nov. 1961, Polhill & Paulo 874!TANZANIA Mbulu District Tarangire National Park, road to Burungi, 12 Feb. 1970, Richards 25407!TANZANIA Lushoto District Lushoto–Mombo road, 2 km SW of Gare turnoff, 16 June 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 2929!TANZANIA Uzaramo District Oyster Bay, 26 June 1968, Batty 172!TANZANIA Zanzibar I. 1931, Vaughan 1066!UGANDA Karamoja District Lomaler–Kakamari road, June 1930, Liebenberg 218!UGANDA Toro/Ankole District Lake George flats, Sep. 1938, Purseglove 397!UGANDA Teso District Serere, Dec. 1931, Chandler 100!
Distribution (external)
Congo-Kinshasa Rwanda Burundi Sudan Eritrea Ethiopia Somalia Malawi, possibly Angola Saudi Arabia Yemen
Notes
LOCAL USES. In Kenya, string is made from the fibres of the stems (Glover et al. 672).  This species appears to be widespread and common, and its habitat not significantly threatened as far as is known. It is rated here as of “least concern” for conservation.  The stellate hairs with reddish-brown arms are a distinctive, if somewhat inconstant, feature of M. velutina. Almost all the other East African species possess stellate hairs with reddish-brown stalks or reddish-brown lepidote hairs, but the arms of these are never pigmented. Melhania forbesii Mast. of southern Africa is very similar to M. velutina (it apparently differs in having larger epicalyx bracts and generally more oblong leaves). Schumann (1900) also considered the number of ovules in each cell to be a key difference; 6 in M. forbesii versus 10–12 in M. velutina. This, however, does not seem to be a reliable distinction since a cursory examination of several specimens of M. forbesii from Botswana show there to be as many as 9 seeds per locule. Melhania forbesii may prove after further study to be a synonym of M. velutina. According to Thulin (1999: 26), M. engleriana K.Schum. is close to M. velutina but if the illustration provided by Schumann (in E.M. 5: t. 1, fig. F, a & b.1900) is correct the relationship would seem to be with M. ovata (Cav.) Spreng. and relatives. There is one chromosome number report (n =30) for M. velutina vouchered by a collection from Kenya (Bates in Gentes Herb. 10: 39–46, 1967).

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, Author: MARTIN CHEEK AND LAURENCE DORR
Names
Melhania velutina Forssk. [family STERCULIACEAE], Fl. Aegypt.-Arab.: cvii, 64 (1775); E.P.A.: 579 (1959); Bamps in F.C.B. 10: 253 (1963); F.P.U.: 58 (1971); U.K.W.F.: 191, fig. p. 192 (1974); Vollesen in Opera Bot. 59: 34 (1980); Blundell, Wild Flow. Kenya: 47 (1982); Troupin, Fl. Rwanda 2: 403 (1983); Blundell, Wild Flow. E. Afr.: 73 (1987); Sapieha, Wayside Flow. E. Afr.: t. 287 (1987); U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 97 (1994); Vollesen in Fl. Eth. 2(2): 174–175, figs. 80.4/4, 80.5/1–4 (1995); Thulin, Fl. Som. 2: 26, fig. 12, A-D (1999). Types: Yemen, Jebel Milhan [in monte Melhân], 1763, Forsskål s.n. (BM!, syn.); Forsskål 510 (C, syn.); Forsskål 1909 (LIV, syn.) Pentapetes velutina (Forssk.) Vahl [family STERCULIACEAE], Symb. Bot. 1: 49 (1790) Melhania ferruginea A.Rich. [family STERCULIACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 76 (1847); Mast. in F.T.A. 1: 231 (1868); K. Schum. in Engl., Hochgebirgsfl. Trop. Afr.: 303 (1892); P.O.A. C: 269 (1895); Baker f. in J.B. 36: 5 (1898); K. Schum. in E.M. 5: 14–15, t. 1, fig. C (1900); De Wild., Pl. Bequaert. 1: 515 (1922); Cufod. in Miss. Biol. Borana, Racc. Bot. 4: 135 (1939); F.P.N.A. 1: 604 (1948); T.T.C.L.: 601 (1949); F.P.S. 2: 5–6 (1952). Type: Ethiopia, “Aderbati,” Taccazé valley, Sep., Quartin-Dillon & Petit 38 (P, holo.; K!, iso.) Melhania malacochlamys K.Schum. [family STERCULIACEAE], in E.M. 5: 13–14 (1900); T.T.C.L.: 601 (1949). Type: Tanzania, Mwanza District: Kagehi, Dec. 1885, Fischer 79 (B†, holo.)
Information
Perennial herb or subshrub, to 1(–2.5) m tall; erect; young stems pale yellowish to brownish or ferruginous pubescent to tomentose or velutinous,thehairs sessile-stellate, stalked-stellate, and tufted; sparsely pubescent in age. Leaves ovate to broadly ovate (rarely some leaves obovate), 2.5–13 cm long, 1–6 cm wide, apex rounded to emarginate, margin shallowly serrate, base rounded (rarely somewhat cuneate), tomentose above, the hairs stellate or long-armed tufted, paler below and usually more densely stellate, especially along veins and leaf margin, the hairs stellate or long-armed tufted and often reddish-brown, especially along the veins and leaf margin; palmately 3–5-nerved from the base; petiole 0.6–3 cm long, ± 1–2 mm wide, reddish-brown, golden-brown to light-brown velutinous; stipules filiform (rarely subulate), 0.4–1.7 cm long, reddish brown when dry (with scattered stellate hairs), tardily dehiscent. Inflorescences 2–4-flowered cymes, occasionally appearing subumbellate, or flowers solitary; peduncle 1.8–8.5 cm long; pedicels 0.2–4 cm long; both peduncle and pedicels velutinous to tomentose; epicalyx bracts broadly ovate, asymmetrical, 4–12 mm long, 2–8 mm wide, often slightly accrescent in fruit, apex sharply narrowing, acuminate, base cuneate to very shallowly cordate, reddish-brown, golden-brown to pale-yellow velutinous. Floral buds widely ovoid, the sepal tips free. Sepals narrowly ovate, 7–12 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, often slightly accrescent in fruit, velutinous without, glabrous within. Petals obovate, asymmetrical, 6–10 mm long, 4–7 mm wide, yellow, glabrous. Staminal tube ± 1 mm long, free portion of filaments 1–1.5 mm long, anthers ± 1.5 mm long, free portion of staminodes 4–5 mm long, glabrous. Ovary ovoid, 2–3 mm long, 2–3(–7) mm in diameter, densely velutinous; 10–12 ovules per locule; style 0.5–2.5 mm long, briefly pubescent at base; stigma lobes 0.5–1 mm long, erect to spreading or recurved. Capsule ovoid, sometimes pointed at the apex, 6–10 mm long, 6–9 mm in diameter, tomentose; 4–12 seeds per locule; seed trigonous, ± 1.7 mm long, ± 1.2 mm wide, testa scatteredly tuberculate, without an elaisome.
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 3?,4–7; T 1–6, 8; Z
Altitude range
(sea-level–)700–1950 (–2250) m
Distribution
KENYA Machakos District Kibwezi, Mar. 1921, Dummer 4603!KENYA Kisumu-Londiani District Nyahera Hills–Kisumu, 17 Apr. 1965, Kokwaro 61!KENYA Kilifi District Jilore, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Reserve, 28 Nov. 1961, Polhill & Paulo 874!TANZANIA Mbulu District Tarangire National Park, road to Burungi, 12 Feb. 1970, Richards 25407!TANZANIA Lushoto District Lushoto–Mombo road, 2 km SW of Gare turnoff, 16 June 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 2929!TANZANIA Uzaramo District Oyster Bay, 26 June 1968, Batty 172!TANZANIA Zanzibar I. 1931, Vaughan 1066!UGANDA Karamoja District Lomaler–Kakamari road, June 1930, Liebenberg 218!UGANDA Toro/Ankole District Lake George flats, Sep. 1938, Purseglove 397!UGANDA Teso District Serere, Dec. 1931, Chandler 100!
Distribution (external)
Congo-Kinshasa Rwanda Burundi Sudan Eritrea Ethiopia Somalia Malawi, possibly Angola Saudi Arabia Yemen
Notes
LOCAL USES. In Kenya, string is made from the fibres of the stems (Glover et al. 672).  This species appears to be widespread and common, and its habitat not significantly threatened as far as is known. It is rated here as of “least concern” for conservation.  The stellate hairs with reddish-brown arms are a distinctive, if somewhat inconstant, feature of M. velutina. Almost all the other East African species possess stellate hairs with reddish-brown stalks or reddish-brown lepidote hairs, but the arms of these are never pigmented. Melhania forbesii Mast. of southern Africa is very similar to M. velutina (it apparently differs in having larger epicalyx bracts and generally more oblong leaves). Schumann (1900) also considered the number of ovules in each cell to be a key difference; 6 in M. forbesii versus 10–12 in M. velutina. This, however, does not seem to be a reliable distinction since a cursory examination of several specimens of M. forbesii from Botswana show there to be as many as 9 seeds per locule. Melhania forbesii may prove after further study to be a synonym of M. velutina. According to Thulin (1999: 26), M. engleriana K.Schum. is close to M. velutina but if the illustration provided by Schumann (in E.M. 5: t. 1, fig. F, a & b.1900) is correct the relationship would seem to be with M. ovata (Cav.) Spreng. and relatives. There is one chromosome number report (n =30) for M. velutina vouchered by a collection from Kenya (Bates in Gentes Herb. 10: 39–46, 1967).
Melhania velutina Forssk. [family STERCULIACEAE]
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