Information

Much-branched bush to c. 3 m. tall; branches straggling or occasionally scandent, farinose-papillose when very young, soon becoming glabrous and blackish. Leaves often crowded on short side-shoots; lamina 0.1–3 x 0.3–1.5 cm., oblong, oblong-elliptic or narrowly obovate, apex rounded or emarginate, often apiculate, rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, papillose-farinose on both sides at first, glabrous later; petiole c. 1.5 mm. long, papillose-farinose. Flowers solitary in the axils of the leaves towards the apices of the short side-shoots; pedicels c. 0.5 cm. long, papillose-farinose. Sepals greenish, c. 1.2 x 0.75 cm., free or almost free, subequal, ovate-oblong, the upper and lower sepals longitudinally folded, the laterals with a keeled midrib, acute at the apex, papillose-puberulous on both sides, margins of lateral sepals pubescent. Petals 0. Androgynophore reddish, c. 3 cm. long, glabrous, shallowly declinate, with flask-shaped nectary up to 1 x 0.4 cm. adnate to its base for the greater part of the nectary’s length. Stamens 5; filaments 0.7–0.8 cm. long, glabrous; anthers 2.5 x 0.75 mm., oblong. Gynophore c. 1 cm. long, glandular-puberulous. Ovary narrowly cylindric, glandular-puberulous; ovules numerous, on two placentas; stigma sessile, capitate. Fruit dark green, up to 9 x 0.4 cm., cylindric, subtorulose, papillose-farinose when young. Seeds subglobose with a rugose dark brown testa, embedded in an orange or scarlet powdery matrix.

Information

Much-branched bush to c. 3 m. tall; branches straggling or occasionally scandent, farinose-papillose when very young, soon becoming glabrous and blackish. Leaves often crowded on short side-shoots; lamina 0.1–3 x 0.3–1.5 cm., oblong, oblong-elliptic or narrowly obovate, apex rounded or emarginate, often apiculate, rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, papillose-farinose on both sides at first, glabrous later; petiole c. 1.5 mm. long, papillose-farinose. Flowers solitary in the axils of the leaves towards the apices of the short side-shoots; pedicels c. 0.5 cm. long, papillose-farinose. Sepals greenish, c. 1.2 x 0.75 cm., free or almost free, subequal, ovate-oblong, the upper and lower sepals longitudinally folded, the laterals with a keeled midrib, acute at the apex, papillose-puberulous on both sides, margins of lateral sepals pubescent. Petals 0. Androgynophore reddish, c. 3 cm. long, glabrous, shallowly declinate, with flask-shaped nectary up to 1 x 0.4 cm. adnate to its base for the greater part of the nectary’s length. Stamens 5; filaments 0.7–0.8 cm. long, glabrous; anthers 2.5 x 0.75 mm., oblong. Gynophore c. 1 cm. long, glandular-puberulous. Ovary narrowly cylindric, glandular-puberulous; ovules numerous, on two placentas; stigma sessile, capitate. Fruit dark green, up to 9 x 0.4 cm., cylindric, subtorulose, papillose-farinose when young. Seeds subglobose with a rugose dark brown testa, embedded in an orange or scarlet powdery matrix.

Information

Much-branched bush to c. 3 m. tall; branches straggling or occasionally scandent, farinose-papillose when very young, soon becoming glabrous and blackish. Leaves often crowded on short side-shoots; lamina 0.1–3 x 0.3–1.5 cm., oblong, oblong-elliptic or narrowly obovate, apex rounded or emarginate, often apiculate, rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, papillose-farinose on both sides at first, glabrous later; petiole c. 1.5 mm. long, papillose-farinose. Flowers solitary in the axils of the leaves towards the apices of the short side-shoots; pedicels c. 0.5 cm. long, papillose-farinose. Sepals greenish, c. 1.2 x 0.75 cm., free or almost free, subequal, ovate-oblong, the upper and lower sepals longitudinally folded, the laterals with a keeled midrib, acute at the apex, papillose-puberulous on both sides, margins of lateral sepals pubescent. Petals 0. Androgynophore reddish, c. 3 cm. long, glabrous, shallowly declinate, with flask-shaped nectary up to 1 x 0.4 cm. adnate to its base for the greater part of the nectary’s length. Stamens 5; filaments 0.7–0.8 cm. long, glabrous; anthers 2.5 x 0.75 mm., oblong. Gynophore c. 1 cm. long, glandular-puberulous. Ovary narrowly cylindric, glandular-puberulous; ovules numerous, on two placentas; stigma sessile, capitate. Fruit dark green, up to 9 x 0.4 cm., cylindric, subtorulose, papillose-farinose when young. Seeds subglobose with a rugose dark brown testa, embedded in an orange or scarlet powdery matrix.