< Back to the Object

Edit History
Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K.Schum. [family BIGNONIACEAE]

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, (2006) Author: SALLY BIDGOOD, BERNARD VERDCOURT & KAJ VOLLESEN
Names
Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K.Schum. [family BIGNONIACEAE], in E. & P., Pf. 4 (3b): 242 (1895); Sprague in Hook. Ic. 28: sub t. 2800 (1905) & in F.T.A. 4(2): 525 (1906) & in K.B. 1919: 311 (1919); F.P.NA. 2: 248 (1947); Heine in F.W.T.A. ed. 2, 2: 387 (1963); Liben, F.A.C. Bignon.: 28, fig. 2A (1977); Gentry in Fl. Cameroun 27: 36, t. 10 (1984) & in Fl. Gabon 27: 34, t. 7 (1985); Blundell, Wild Fl. E. Afr.: 381, t. 396 (1987); K.T.S.L: 592, fig., map (1994). Type: Fernando Po, Vogel 60 (K!, lecto.) Spathodea lutea Benth. [family BIGNONIACEAE], in Nig. Fl.: 461 (1844) pro parte Dolichandrone platycalyx Bak. [family BIGNONIACEAE], in K.B. 1894: 30 (1894). Type: Uganda, without precise locality, Wilson 119 (K!, holo.) Dolichandrone hildebrandtii Bak. [family BIGNONIACEAE], in K.B. 1894: 31 (1894). Type: Kenya, Kitui, Hildebrandt 2732 (K!, holo.) Markhamia platycalyx (Bak.) Sprague [family BIGNONIACEAE], in Hook. Ic. 28: t. 2800, fig. 1–7 (1905) & in F.T.A. 4 (2): 525 (1906) & in K.B. 1919: 311 (1919); T.T.C.L.: 72 (1949); I.T.U. ed. 2: 41, fig. 8, photo 5 (1952); Jex-Blake, Gard. E. Afr.: 222, 335 (1957); Wimbush, Cat. Kenya Timbers: 55 (1957); K.T.S.: 62, fig. 13 (1961); Hamilton, Uganda Forest Trees: 202 (1981) Markhamia hildebrandtii (Bak.) Sprague [family BIGNONIACEAE], in Hook. Ic. 28: t. 2800, fig. 9 (1905) & in F.T.A. 4 (2): 526 (1906) & in K.B. 1919: 311 (1919); T.T.C.L.: 71 (1949); Jex-Blake, Gard. E. Afr..: 222 (1957); Wimbush, Cat. Kenya Timbers: 54 (1957); K.T.S.: 62 (1961)
Information
Tree (5–)15–21(–24) m tall or sometimes shrubby 1.2–4.5 m tall, regenerating and coppicing easily; trunk sometimes divided from base, sometimes fluted; bark grey-black or reddish brown, smooth or rough, ridged; branches usually densely lenticellate; wood reddish. Leaves up to 35 cm long; leaflets (2–)3–6-jugate, elliptic to obovate, 4.5–21≈4–9 cm, cuneate to rounded at the base, acuminate at the apex, glabrous but densely lepidote above, more sparsely so beneath, often with pubescent axillary domatia beneath; petiole 6–12 cm long; petiolules up to 5(–10) mm long or ± absent; pseudostipules ± round, 2–3 cm diameter. Flowers scented, in often narrow terminal panicles up to 20 cm long and wide; pedicels ± 5(–10) mm long; bracts triangular, 1–5 mm long, 1 mm wide. Calyx spathaceous, 1.8–2.6(–3) cm long, 0.7–1.4 cm wide, woolly when young, becoming glabrous, lepidote and with glands on the margin opposite the split, often very distinctly uncinate at the tip. Corolla golden yellow with brownish purple or red veins or spots at the throat; tube (2–)3–4.5 cm long, up to 2.5 cm wide at the throat; limb 2-lipped, 5-lobed, the lobes (1–)1.5–2.5 cm long and wide, with distinct glands but varying in number. Capsule curved, 35–80(?–105) cm long, 1–2 cm wide, compressed, glabrous but lepidote; seeds 2.5–3.5 cm long, 6–8 mm wide including the wing.
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 1, 3–5; T 1, 3, 4 (planted in T 2) West Africa from Ghana to Cameroon, Congo-Kinshasa, Rwanda, Burundi
Altitude range
1500–1900 m
Distribution
KENYA Nairobi District Nairobi, Karura Forest, 12 Nov. 1976, Kahurananga & Mungai 131!KENYA Embu District Emberre , 7 Oct 1933, M.D. Graham 2271!KENYA South Kavirondo District near Kisii, 31 Jan. 1964, Brunt 1440!TANZANIA Mwanza District Geita, Uzinza, 7 June 1937, B.D. Burtt 6588!TANZANIA Lushoto District E Usambaras, Amani, 2 Oct. 1955, Tanner 2273!TANZANIA Mpanda District 104 km S of Kigoma, Mugombasi, 31 Aug. 1959, Harley 9473!UGANDA W Nile District S Panyimur, 25 May 1954, Alonzie 14!UGANDA Kigezi District Kinkizi, Kanungu, Mar. 1951, Purseglove 3604!UGANDA Mengo District Bugerere, Bale, 28 June 1956, Langdale - Brown 2119!
Notes
In a herbarium memorandum and various annotations on herbarium covers J. Gillett sank M. hildebrandtii and M. platyclayx together and later accepted Liben’s published statement that the latter was conspecific with M. lutea. Gentry published this synonymy in the references given above. We have followed this but with some hesitation. Material from eastern Kenya undoubtedly differs to some degree from material from western Kenya and Uganda. M. hildebrandtii was distinguished by Sprague as having a distinctly uncinate calyx, more infundibuliform flowers and very few large floral glands. Sandwith in the mid-1900’s kept all three separate. Typical M. platycalyx with wider almost clavate calyx much larger more campanulate corolla with often numerous floral glands appears very different. In West Africa, however, uncinate or at least narrowly acuminate calyces reappear. A specimen Mwangangi 1945/B (Kenya, Machakos District, near Nunguni, Kilungu Forest), which on geographical grounds would be expected to be nearest M. hildebrandtii actually has the calyx of M. platycalyx. Being a well known timber it is possible this was cultivated from non-local seed. The species would repay study in the field throughout its range to see if subspecies could be recognised. A specimen Kayombo 1659 (T 6, Ulanga District, Nambiga Forest Reserve, 5 km W of main road from Iragua to Itete, 380 m) differs from this species in the leaflets having much more widely spaced lateral nerves (± 6 instead of 8–14). It may represent a distinct taxon and is from a low altitude; fruits and a larger range of leaves showing variation are needed. The large yellow corolla 6 cm long and calyx 2 cm long agree with M. lutea. This species is extensively planted particularly in Uganda as it is commonly used as a local timber. Also grown as an ornamental in Kenya: Nairobi Arboretum, 14 July 1952, G.R. Williams 483 & National Museum grounds, 11 Sept. 1952, G.R. Williams 521; and Tanzania: Arusha District: Narok Camp, 22 March 1951, J.F. Hughes H58; Lushoto District: Amani, Kiumba Plantation, 21 Oct. 1930, Greenway 2546.
Markhamia lutea (Benth.) K.Schum. [family BIGNONIACEAE]
PDF

Related Materials