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Alchemilla cryptantha Steud. ex A. Rich. [family ROSACEAE]

Date Updated: 26 July 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 4, Part 0, page 7, (1978) Author: E. J. Mendes
Names
Alchemilla cryptantha Steud. ex A. Rich. [family ROSACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 259 (1847).—Oliv. in F.T.A. 2: 377 (1871).—Hauman & Balle in Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 14: 8, fig. 2 (1936).—Robyns & Tournay, Fl. Parc Nat. Alb. 1: 246 (1948).—Suesseng. & Merxm. in Trans. Rhod. Sci. Ass. 43: 15 (1951).—Hauman in F.C.B. 3: 7 (1952).—Keay in F.W.T.A. ed. 2, 1: 424 (1958).—R. A. Grah. in F.T.E.A., Rosaceae: 15 (I960).— Piovano in Boll. Soc. Bot. Ital., Sér. 2, 72: 664 (1967). Type from Ethiopia. Alchemilla subreniformis De Wild. [family ROSACEAE], in Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 7: 383 (1921).— Hauman & Balle in Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 24: 312, fig. Ib, 4 & 14 (1934). Type from Zaire. Alchemilla inyangensis Weim. [family ROSACEAE], in Bot. Notis. 1932: 18, fig. 6 (1932). Type: Rhodesia, Inyanga, Fries, Norlindh & Weimarck 2638 (LD, holotype; BM, SRGH, isotypes). Alchemilla kiwuensis subsp. rhodesica Hauman & Balle [family ROSACEAE], op. cit.: 342 (1954). Type from Rhodesia: Salisbury, Eytes 1911 (K, holotype; PRE, SRGH, isotypes).
Information
Perennial herb with basal rosette of shortly petiolate, fugacious leaves, often developing long, slender, densely hairy stolons usually rooting here and there at nodes. Leaves 1–1·5(3·5) x 1·5–3(4·5) cm., circular-reniform in outline, those of rosette 5(7)-lobed, the rest 5-lobed, usually glabrous or subglabrous above and ± densely long-hairy beneath especially on main veins; lobes shallow, usually not deeper than i of the radius of lamina, ± semicircular to broadly obovate; central lobe usually with 15 teeth c. 1 mm. long; petioles of stem leaves slender, up to 5 cm. long, hairy like the stems. Flowers axillary, usually solitary or twinned, subsessile or on pedicels up to 8 mm. long, concealed by the stipules, or less often borne in ± elongated cymes or panicles usually not exceeding the subtending leaf. Calyx glabrous or rarely covered with long hairs; epicalyx-lobes c. 1 mm. long, exceeding calyx-lobes; calyx-lobes c. 0·7 mm. long. Achenes (2)4–8, up to 1·5 mm. long.
Habitat
Upland grasslands, often near streams
Range
From the Sudan and Ethiopia westwards to Cameroon and southwards to Natal
Altitude range
alt. 1300–1700m. 1700 1300
Distribution
Zimbabwe E Inyanga, fl. 5.xi.1930, Fries, Norlindh & Weimarck 2638 (BM; LD; SRGH); Umtali Distr., Penhalonga, fl. 31.x.1956, Robinson 1829 (K; SRGH).Zimbabwe C Salisbury, Danga Lima Farm N. of Bromley, fl. 10.xii.1964, Chase 8200 (K; LISC; SRGH); Salisbury North, Sumber, Gwebi road, fl. early xi.1959, Phipps 2494 (K; LISC; SRGH).Malawi S Ncheu Distr., road from Dedza to Ncheu, fl. 2.xi.1960, Chapman 1023 (K; SRGH); Lower Kirk Range, Chipusiri, fl. 17.iii.1955, E. M. & W. 970 (BM; LISC; SRGH).Zimbabwe N Trelawney Distr., Tobacco Research Station, fl. xi.1944, Jack 265 (SRGH).
Distribution (external)
Sao Tomé Fernando Po Madagascar
Notes
Note: This and the following species are usually easily distinguishable in F.T.E.A. and F.C.B. areas; in the F.Z. area, however, intermediates do occur (? putative hybrids) and the two species seem to merge into a wide complex. The characters used in the key should be considered as the average for each species.
Alchemilla cryptantha Steud. ex A. Rich. [family ROSACEAE]
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