Entry From
FZ, Vol 9, Part 4, (1996) Author: A. Radcliffe-Smith
Names
Paranecepsia alchorneifolia Radcl.-Sm. [family EUPHORBIACEAE], in Kew Bull. 30: 684 (1976); in F.T.E.A., Euphorb. 1: 220 (1987). Type: Mozambique, Niassa Province, 30 km north of Chomba, male fl. 11.xi.1959, Gomes e Sousa 4514 (K, holotype; COI; EA; PRE; SRGH).
Information
A much-branched shrub or small tree to 7 m high (with Terminalia branching).Bark ± smooth, light grey.Wood soft, white.Internodes variable in length.Leaves interspersed with bract-like scales in the terminal clusters.Petioles 2–5 mm long.Leaf blade 4–18(25) × 1.5–7(10) cm, oblanceolate, obtuse at the apex, narrowed to a rounded or cordulate base, shallowly glandular-serrate or crenate-serrate on the margins, glabrous on upper surface, pubescent at first on the midrib and with domatial hair tufts beneath; lateral nerves in 10–16 pairs.Scales 3 × 2 mm, triangular, acute, densely pubescent without, sparingly so within.Stipules 5–7 mm long, linear-lanceolate, pubescent.Stipels 3–4 mm long, setaceous, glabrous.Male inflorescences up to 7 cm long; axis ± glabrous; bracts 2–3 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, pubescent.Male flowers: pedicels 0.5–1 cm long; buds 1.5 mm in diameter, subglobose, whitish; calyx lobes 1.5 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, pale yellow; stamens 1.5–2 mm long, filaments purple, anthers 0.5 mm long, purplish-tinged; disk glands numerous, dark purple.Female inflorescences up to 11 cm long, 2–6-flowered, otherwise as in the male.Female flowers: pedicels 2–3 cm long, geniculate; sepals in the fruiting stage 2–6 × 1–4 mm, broadly elliptic to elliptic-ovate, obtuse, strongly triplinerved, ± glabrous; staminodes minute; disk 1.5 mm in diameter, thin; ovary size not known; styles 1 mm long, pubescent at the base.Fruit 5–6 × 10 mm, strongly 3-lobed, minutely tuberculate, sparingly or evenly pubescent, grey-green.Seeds 4 mm in diameter, smooth, purplish-brown.
Distribution
Mozambique N Negomano–Mueda road, c. 30 km north of Chomba, st. 4.iv.1960, Gomes e Sousa 4514/A (COI; K; SRGH); 30 km Chomba–Negomano, st. 13.iv.64, Torre & Paiva 11880 (LISC); Ridi R., west of Pemba (Porto Amélia), st. 1.x.1964, Gomes e Sousa 4831 (COI; K; PRE).
Notes
Because of the absence of female and fruiting material in specimens from Mozambique, Tanzanian material was used in drawing up the above description. In Tanzania, this species occurs up to 450 m in altitude.