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Gisekia africana Lour. Kuntze [family MOLLUGINACEAE]

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 522, (1978) Author: M. L. Gonçalves
Names
Gisekia africana Lour. Kuntze [family MOLLUGINACEAE], Rev. Gen. Pl. 3: 108 (1898).—Pax & Hoffm. in Engl. & Prantl, Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 16c: 192 (1934).—Brenan, T.T.C.L.: 349 (1949).—Hauman in F.C.B. 2: 101 (1951).—Jeffrey in F.T.E.A., Aizoaceae: 3 (1961).—Adamson in Journ. S. Afr. Bot. 27: 134 (1961).—Friedr. in Prodr. Fl. SW. Afr. 26: 5 (1966).—M. L. Goncalves in C.F.A. 4: 304, t. 36 (1970).—J. H. Ross, Fl. Natal: 161 (1972). Type: Mozambique, Mozambique I., Loureiro (location of type unknown). Miltus africana Lour. [family MOLLUGINACEAE], Fl. Cochinch.: 302 (1790). Type as above. Glinus mozambicensis Spreng. [family MOLLUGINACEAE], Syst. Veg. 2: 467 (1825) nom. illegit. Gisekia miltus Fenzl [family MOLLUGINACEAE], Nov. Stirp. Dec. Mus. Vindob. 10: 86 (1839).—Moq. in DC Prodr. 13, 2: 28 (1849).—Sond. in Harv. & Sond., F.C. 1: 156 (1860).—Oliv. in F.T.A. 2: 594 (1871).—Pax in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 19: 132 (1894).—Engl., Pflanzenw. Ost-Afr. C: 175 (1895).—Hiern, Cat. Afr. Pl. Welw. 1: 421 (1898).—A. Peter, Fl. Deutsch Ost-Afr. 2: 253 (1938) nom. illegit. Gisekia pentadecandra E. Mey. ex Moq. [family MOLLUGINACEAE], in DC., loc. cit.—Wawra apud Wawra & Peyr. in Sitz.-Ber. Math. Nat. Akad. Wiss. Wien 38: 563 (1860).—Sond. in Harv & Sond., loc. cit.—Burtt Davy, F.P.F.T. 1: 153(1926). Type from S. Africa. Gisekia aspera Klotzsch [family MOLLUGINACEAE], in Peters, Reise Mossamb. Bot.: 136 (1861).—Engl., loc. cit. Type: Mozambique, R. Sena, Peters (B, holotype†). Gisekia miltus var. pedunculata Oliv. [family MOLLUGINACEAE], loc. cit.—Hiern, loc. cit. Type as for Gisekia aspera. Gisekia africana var. decagyna Hauman [family MOLLUGINACEAE], in Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 19: 444 (1949); in F.C.B. 2: 102 (1951). Type from Angola (Lobito). Gisekia africana var. pedunculata Oliv. Brenan [family MOLLUGINACEAE], in Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard. 8, 3: 444 (1954).—Jeffrey in F.T.E.A., Aizoaceae: 3 (1961).—Binns, H.C.L.M.: 16 (1968). Type as for Gisekia aspera. Gisekia africana var. cymosa Adamson [family MOLLUGINACEAE], tom, cit.: 136 (1961).—J. H. Ross, loc. cit. Type: Mozambique, Lourenço Marques, Schlechter 11631 (BM, holotype).
Information
Prostrate to procumbent spreading glabrous herbs, annual or perennial with annual shoots, with several semi-succulent stems often tinged with red up to c. 50 cm. long. Leaf-lamina 5–81 × 1–23 mm., entire, ranging from linear to linear-oblong, oblong, elliptic, lanceolate, oblanceolate, spathulate, obovate or cuneate, the apex retuse, obtuse, rounded or subacute, often apiculate, the margins flat or slightly revolute; petiole 0–5 mm. long. Inflorescences sessile or pedunculate, often numerous, umbelliform to dichasial, often many-flowered. Flowers hermaphrodite or unisexual, pinkish, scentless; pedicels up to c. 16 mm. long. Perianth-segments 5, 2–4 mm. long in fruit, herbaceous, obtuse or subacute, with red or white membranous margins. Stamens (8)10–15(20) with filaments slightly broadened below. Carpels 5 in hermaphrodite flowers, 10–15 in female flowers. Fruit blackish, densely covered with warts.
Habitat
In woodland, open bushland, riverine fringing vegetation, sandy soils and roadsides.
Range
Widespread from tropical and southern Africa to Asia.
Distribution
Mozambique M Lourenco Marques, fl. & fr. 6.xii.1897, Schlechter 11031 (COI).Mozambique GI Inharrime, Ponta de Zavora, fl. & fr. 4.iv.1959, Barbosa & Lemos 8499 (COI; LISC; SRGH).Mozambique T near Tete, fl. & fr. ii.1859, Kirk (K).Mozambique MS Caia, Sena, fl. & fr. 1846, Peters (K).Mozambique Z Quelimane, on beach, 5 m., fl. & fr. 16.iii.1966, Torre & Correia 15177 (LISC).Malawi S Chikwawa, lower Mwanza R., 180 m., fl. & fr. 4.x.1946, Brass 17975 (K; SRGH).Malawi C Chipoka, fl. & fr. 22.iii.1956, Banda 226 (BM; LISC; SRGH).Zimbabwe S 3–2 km. from Beitbridge on West Nicholson road, fl. & fr. 15.ii.1955, E. M. & W. 412 (BM; LISC; SRGH).Zimbabwe E Chipinga, near junction of Birchenough Bridge and Chipinga roads, 610 m., fl. & fr. 26.iv.1963, Chase 8011 (LISC; SRGH).Zimbabwe W Nyamandhlovu, on Victoria Falls line, 1036 m., fl. & fr. xii.1902, Eyles 1125 (K; SRGH).Zambia C Chingombe, fl. & fr 26.ix.1957, Fanshawe 3733 (K).Zambia S Namwala, fl. & fr. 14.i.1964, van Rensburg 2750 (K; SRGH).Botswana SE 8 km. S. of Artesia, fl. & fr. 15.i.1960, Leach & Noel 79 (SRGH).Botswana SW Gomodimo, fl. & fr. 1.iv.1930, van Son 28973 (BM; K; SRGH).Mozambique N António Enes, along the coast, fl. & fr. 24.x.1965, Gomes e Sousa 4895 (COI; K).Malawi N Mwanemba, fl. & fr. iii.1903, McClounie 110 (K).Zimbabwe N Urungwe, near Mensa, fl. & fr. 22.i.1957, Phelps 181 (SRGH).Zambia B near Senanga, 1036 m., fl. & fr. 4.viii.1952, Codd 7386 (K; SRGH).Botswana N Maun, c. 0–3 km. from river, fl. & fr. ii.1967, Lambrecht 25 (LISC).Caprivi Strip Katima Mulilo area, c. 915 m., fl. & fr. 24.xii.1958, Killick & Leistner 3048 (K).
Gisekia africana Lour. Kuntze [family MOLLUGINACEAE]
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