Edit History
Centrostachys aquatica R. Br. Wall. ex Moq. [family AMARANTHACEAE]
Date Updated: 26 July 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 1, page 28, (1988) Author: C. C. Townsend
Names
Achyranthes aquatica R.Br. [family AMARANTHACEAE], Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl.: 417 (1810).—Baker & Clarke in F.T.A. 6, 1: 64 (1909).—Cavaco in Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris Sér. B. 13: 124 (1962). Type as above.
Centrostachys aquatica R. Br. Wall. ex Moq. [family AMARANTHACEAE], in DC., Prodr. 13, 2: 321 (1849).—Schinz in Engl. & Prantl Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 16 C: 62 (1934).—Hauman in F.C.B. 2: 56 (1951).—Townsend in Kew Bull. 29: 472 (1974). TAB. 26. Type from Thailand.
Information
Aquatic or subaquatic perennial 0.3–1.5 m., prostrate to straggling or erect, usually much-branched, considerably rooting at the lower nodes with dense tufts of whitish rhizoids, stem near the base up to 2 cm. thick, spongy, hollow. Upper stem and branches sulcate-striate, glabrous for the most part but increasingly appressed-pilose towards the inflorescence. Leaves lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong or oblong-ovate, cuneate or usually attenuate to the base, acute to acuminate at the apex, moderately appressed-pilose on both surfaces (densely so when young), lamina (2.5) 7–15 × (0.8) 2–5 cm.; petiole 0.4–4 cm. long. Spike c. 4–12 cm. long in flower, elongating to as much as 25 cm. or occasionally even more in fruit; rhachis moderately to densely appressed-pilose; peduncle short, mostly c. 1.5 cm. long. Bracts deltoid-lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long, hyaline (drying pale brownish) with a single midrib, glabrous, finally deflexed below the hard callus left by the fallen perianth; bracteoles more or less circular hyaline, c. 1.5–2 mm. long, glabrous. Perianth 6–8 mm. long, the upper (outer) tepal, 1–3 nerved slightly longer than the remainder, with a sharper, often slightly recurved apex, and a somewhat narrower pale border; remaining tepals blunter, with up to 7 nerves. Filaments stout, 2–3 mm. long. Style 1.75–2.5 mm. long. Capsule c. 4 mm. long, slightly broader at the base but rounded above. Seed smooth, chestnut-brown.
Habitat
In standing water and at the edge of a pan
Range
in tropical Africa from Nigeria to Sudan and Ethiopia south to Zaire, Tanzania and the Flora Zambesiaca area; in tropical Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia
Distribution
Zimbabwe S Mweneze Distr., between Bubye drift and Dumela, 1.v.1961. Drummond & Rutherford-Smith 7648 (K; LISC; SRGH).Zambia S Chepezami Dam, 22 km. W. of Pemba, 1125 m., 21.iv.1954, Robinson 702 IK).Zimbabwe N Hurungwe Distr., Mana Pools, iii.1971, Guy 1620 (K; SRGH).Zambia W Kaputa Distr., Mweru-Wa-Ntipa, Mwawe R., 1050 m., 6.iv.1957 Richards 9054 (K).
Notes
the only recorded altitudes in the Flora Zambesiaca area are given above.
Date Updated: 26 July 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 1, page 28, (1988) Author: C. C. Townsend
Names
Achyranthes aquatica R.Br. [family AMARANTHACEAE], Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl.: 417 (1810).—Baker & Clarke in F.T.A. 6, 1: 64 (1909).—Cavaco in Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris Sér. B. 13: 124 (1962). Type as above.
Centrostachys aquatica R. Br. Wall. ex Moq. [family AMARANTHACEAE], in DC., Prodr. 13, 2: 321 (1849).—Schinz in Engl. & Prantl Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 16 C: 62 (1934).—Hauman in F.C.B. 2: 56 (1951).—Townsend in Kew Bull. 29: 472 (1974). TAB. 26. Type from Thailand.
Information
Aquatic or subaquatic perennial 0.3–1.5 m., prostrate to straggling or erect, usually much-branched, considerably rooting at the lower nodes with dense tufts of whitish rhizoids, stem near the base up to 2 cm. thick, spongy, hollow. Upper stem and branches sulcate-striate, glabrous for the most part but increasingly appressed-pilose towards the inflorescence. Leaves lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong or oblong-ovate, cuneate or usually attenuate to the base, acute to acuminate at the apex, moderately appressed-pilose on both surfaces (densely so when young), lamina (2.5) 7–15 × (0.8) 2–5 cm.; petiole 0.4–4 cm. long. Spike c. 4–12 cm. long in flower, elongating to as much as 25 cm. or occasionally even more in fruit; rhachis moderately to densely appressed-pilose; peduncle short, mostly c. 1.5 cm. long. Bracts deltoid-lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long, hyaline (drying pale brownish) with a single midrib, glabrous, finally deflexed below the hard callus left by the fallen perianth; bracteoles more or less circular hyaline, c. 1.5–2 mm. long, glabrous. Perianth 6–8 mm. long, the upper (outer) tepal, 1–3 nerved slightly longer than the remainder, with a sharper, often slightly recurved apex, and a somewhat narrower pale border; remaining tepals blunter, with up to 7 nerves. Filaments stout, 2–3 mm. long. Style 1.75–2.5 mm. long. Capsule c. 4 mm. long, slightly broader at the base but rounded above. Seed smooth, chestnut-brown.
Habitat
In standing water and at the edge of a pan
Range
in tropical Africa from Nigeria to Sudan and Ethiopia south to Zaire, Tanzania and the Flora Zambesiaca area; in tropical Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia
Distribution
Zimbabwe S Mweneze Distr., between Bubye drift and Dumela, 1.v.1961. Drummond & Rutherford-Smith 7648 (K; LISC; SRGH).Zambia S Chepezami Dam, 22 km. W. of Pemba, 1125 m., 21.iv.1954, Robinson 702 IK).Zimbabwe N Hurungwe Distr., Mana Pools, iii.1971, Guy 1620 (K; SRGH).Zambia W Kaputa Distr., Mweru-Wa-Ntipa, Mwawe R., 1050 m., 6.iv.1957 Richards 9054 (K).
Notes
the only recorded altitudes in the Flora Zambesiaca area are given above.
Date Updated: 26 July 2007
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 1, page 28, (1988) Author: C. C. Townsend
Names
Achyranthes aquatica R.Br. [family AMARANTHACEAE], Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl.: 417 (1810).—Baker & Clarke in F.T.A. 6, 1: 64 (1909).—Cavaco in Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris Sér. B. 13: 124 (1962). Type as above.
Centrostachys aquatica R. Br. Wall. ex Moq. [family AMARANTHACEAE], in DC., Prodr. 13, 2: 321 (1849).—Schinz in Engl. & Prantl Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 16 C: 62 (1934).—Hauman in F.C.B. 2: 56 (1951).—Townsend in Kew Bull. 29: 472 (1974). TAB. 26. Type from Thailand.
Information
Aquatic or subaquatic perennial 0.3–1.5 m., prostrate to straggling or erect, usually much-branched, considerably rooting at the lower nodes with dense tufts of whitish rhizoids, stem near the base up to 2 cm. thick, spongy, hollow. Upper stem and branches sulcate-striate, glabrous for the most part but increasingly appressed-pilose towards the inflorescence. Leaves lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong or oblong-ovate, cuneate or usually attenuate to the base, acute to acuminate at the apex, moderately appressed-pilose on both surfaces (densely so when young), lamina (2.5) 7–15 × (0.8) 2–5 cm.; petiole 0.4–4 cm. long. Spike c. 4–12 cm. long in flower, elongating to as much as 25 cm. or occasionally even more in fruit; rhachis moderately to densely appressed-pilose; peduncle short, mostly c. 1.5 cm. long. Bracts deltoid-lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long, hyaline (drying pale brownish) with a single midrib, glabrous, finally deflexed below the hard callus left by the fallen perianth; bracteoles more or less circular hyaline, c. 1.5–2 mm. long, glabrous. Perianth 6–8 mm. long, the upper (outer) tepal, 1–3 nerved slightly longer than the remainder, with a sharper, often slightly recurved apex, and a somewhat narrower pale border; remaining tepals blunter, with up to 7 nerves. Filaments stout, 2–3 mm. long. Style 1.75–2.5 mm. long. Capsule c. 4 mm. long, slightly broader at the base but rounded above. Seed smooth, chestnut-brown.
Habitat
In standing water and at the edge of a pan
Range
in tropical Africa from Nigeria to Sudan and Ethiopia south to Zaire, Tanzania and the Flora Zambesiaca area; in tropical Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia
Distribution
Zimbabwe S Mweneze Distr., between Bubye drift and Dumela, 1.v.1961. Drummond & Rutherford-Smith 7648 (K; LISC; SRGH).Zambia S Chepezami Dam, 22 km. W. of Pemba, 1125 m., 21.iv.1954, Robinson 702 IK).Zimbabwe N Hurungwe Distr., Mana Pools, iii.1971, Guy 1620 (K; SRGH).Zambia W Kaputa Distr., Mweru-Wa-Ntipa, Mwawe R., 1050 m., 6.iv.1957 Richards 9054 (K).
Notes
the only recorded altitudes in the Flora Zambesiaca area are given above.
╳
We're sorry. You don't appear to have permission to access the item.
Full access to these resources typically requires affiliation with a partnering organization. (For example, researchers are often granted access through their affiliation with a university library.)
If you have an institutional affiliation that provides you access, try logging in via your institution
Have access with an individual account? Login here
If you would like to learn more about access options or believe you received this message in error, please contact us.