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Swertia usambarensis Engl. [family GENTIANACEAE]

Date Updated: 26 July 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 7, Part 4, page 3, (1990) Author: J. Paiva and I. Nogueira
Names
Swertia usambarensis Engl. [family GENTIANACEAE], Pflanzenw. Ost-Afr. C: 314 (1895). —Baker & N.E. Br. in F.T.A. 4, 1: 580 (1904). —Boutique in Fl. Afr. Centr., Gentianaceae: 9, fig. 1D (1972). Type from Tanzania. Swertia polyantha Gilg [family GENTIANACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 26: 109 (1899). Type from Ethiopia. Swertia whytei N.E. Br. [family GENTIANACEAE], in F.T.A. 4, 1: 579 (1904). Type from Uganda.
Information
Annual erect herb up to 50 cm. tall. Stem slender, sometimes woody at the base, usually branched from the base, rarely unbranched or branched at the apex only, 4-ridged. Leaves thin, not fleshy; lamina 10–30 (40) x 2–7 (20) mm.; cauline ones lanceolate, attenuate at the base into a short petiole, acute or subacute at the apex, patent; basal ones, ovate-elliptic to broadly elliptic, the uppermost shorter and narrowing passing to bracts. Flowers 5-merous, pale blue (whitish in dried material) in terminal few- or many-flowered corymbiform cymes, pedicellate; pedicels very variable. Calyx divided to the base; segments 1–4 x 0.7–2 mm., unequal elliptic. Corolla with a very short tube; lobes 5–12 x 3.5–6 mm., obovate-ellipric, obtuse at the apex, with a pair of fimbriate nectaries within, near the base. Stamens inserted at the sinuses; filaments 4–6 mm. long; anthers 1–1.3 mm. long, narrowly ellipsoid. Ovary 4–5 x 2–2.5 mm., narrowly ellipsoid, narrowed into a short stout style; stigma bilobed, papillate. Capsule 7–10 x 3–3.5 mm., narrowly-ellipsoid. Seeds 0.3–0.4 mm. long; testa faveolate.
Habitat
Grasslands
Altitude range
1800–2500 m. 2500 1800
Distribution
Mozambique N Maniamba, Jeci mountain near Malulo, about 60 km. of Lichinga, fl. & fr. 3.iii.1964, Torre & Paiva 10996 (LISC).Malawi N Nyika Plateau, fl. & fr. 13.v.1970, Brummitt 10654 (K).Zimbabwe E Nyanga Distr., Troutbeck, North Downs, fl. & fr. 8.iii.1981, Philcox Leppard, Dini & Urayai 8930 (K).Malawi C Dedza Distr., Chongoni Forest Reserve, fl. & fr. 25.iv.1970, Brummitt 10151 (K).
Distribution (external)
Uganda Zaire Kenya Rwanda Ethiopia

Date Updated: 26 July 2007

Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 7, Part 4, page 3, (1990) Author: J. Paiva and I. Nogueira
Names
Swertia usambarensis Engl. [family GENTIANACEAE], Pflanzenw. Ost-Afr. C: 314 (1895). —Baker & N.E. Br. in F.T.A. 4, 1: 580 (1904). —Boutique in Fl. Afr. Centr., Gentianaceae: 9, fig. 1D (1972). Type from Tanzania. Swertia polyantha Gilg [family GENTIANACEAE], in Engl., Bot. Jahrb. 26: 109 (1899). Type from Ethiopia. Swertia whytei N.E. Br. [family GENTIANACEAE], in F.T.A. 4, 1: 579 (1904). Type from Uganda.
Information
Annual erect herb up to 50 cm. tall. Stem slender, sometimes woody at the base, usually branched from the base, rarely unbranched or branched at the apex only, 4-ridged. Leaves thin, not fleshy; lamina 10–30 (40) x 2–7 (20) mm.; cauline ones lanceolate, attenuate at the base into a short petiole, acute or subacute at the apex, patent; basal ones, ovate-elliptic to broadly elliptic, the uppermost shorter and narrowing passing to bracts. Flowers 5-merous, pale blue (whitish in dried material) in terminal few- or many-flowered corymbiform cymes, pedicellate; pedicels very variable. Calyx divided to the base; segments 1–4 x 0.7–2 mm., unequal elliptic. Corolla with a very short tube; lobes 5–12 x 3.5–6 mm., obovate-ellipric, obtuse at the apex, with a pair of fimbriate nectaries within, near the base. Stamens inserted at the sinuses; filaments 4–6 mm. long; anthers 1–1.3 mm. long, narrowly ellipsoid. Ovary 4–5 x 2–2.5 mm., narrowly ellipsoid, narrowed into a short stout style; stigma bilobed, papillate. Capsule 7–10 x 3–3.5 mm., narrowly-ellipsoid. Seeds 0.3–0.4 mm. long; testa faveolate.
Habitat
Grasslands
Altitude range
1800–2500 m. 2500 1800
Distribution
Mozambique N Maniamba, Jeci mountain near Malulo, about 60 km. of Lichinga, fl. & fr. 3.iii.1964, Torre & Paiva 10996 (LISC).Malawi N Nyika Plateau, fl. & fr. 13.v.1970, Brummitt 10654 (K).Zimbabwe E Nyanga Distr., Troutbeck, North Downs, fl. & fr. 8.iii.1981, Philcox Leppard, Dini & Urayai 8930 (K).Malawi C Dedza Distr., Chongoni Forest Reserve, fl. & fr. 25.iv.1970, Brummitt 10151 (K).
Distribution (external)
Uganda Zaire Kenya Rwanda Ethiopia
Swertia usambarensis Engl. [family GENTIANACEAE]
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