genus descriptions: SSTAs

Globimetula

Tiegh.
Description:
Aerial, hemiparasitic shrubs, +/- 0.5-2(-4) m high, usually with a single haustorial attachment, but sometimes scandent with many secondary haustoria; glabrous or sometimes with papillae on youngest parts and umbels. Leaves opposite, subopposite or ternate, penninerved. Inflorescence a 2-20-flowered pedunculate umbel; bracts at base of peduncle and pedicels small, triangular. Flowers 5-merous, gamopetalous, bilaterally symmetrical by presence of a unilateral V-shaped slit extending more than halfway to base. Calyx subentire, normally ciliolate. Corolla with conspicuous basal and apical (sometimes winged) swellings, pink or red, sometimes white to green on lower or upper part; lobes revolute. Filaments involutely curved or coiled at anthesis; anthers 4-thecate with outer pair of thecae shorter and sometimes set lower, connective distinct. Style skittle-shaped above; stigma turbinate to peltate. Berry depressed-globose to ellipsoid, red to yellow. Seeds brightly coloured.
Distribution:
Species 13, trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 5, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Oedina

Tiegh.
Description:
Aerial, hemiparasitic shrubs, up to 2 m or more, from a single haustorial attachment; twigs slightly compressed to angular, soon terete; hairs stellate and dendritic. Leaves mostly opposite or subopposite, rarely clustered, shortly petiolate, penninerved. Inflorescence few- to many-flowered racemes or spikes from axils and older nodes; bract small, unilateral. Calyx saucer-shaped to tubular, entire to shortly toothed. Corolla 5-lobed, regular to slightly irregular, joined up to halfway, yellow to red, puberulous to hirsute, weakly explosive at anthesis; tube with a slight to marked basal swelling, only rarely with a short V-split at anthesis; lobes usually erect, often partly cohering at tips, occasionally spreading to coiled. Filaments arising 6-10 mm above base of corolla lobes, +/- articulate, upper part coiling; anthers 4-thecous, basifixed. Style filiform; stigma ovoid to fusiform. Berry, where known, blue-green, ovoid-ellipsoid to obovoid. Seed orange to red.
Distribution:
Species 4, eastern trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 2, Zambia, Malawi.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Oncella

Tiegh.
Description:
Small aerial, hemiparasitic well-branched shrubs from a single haustorial attachment; twigs slightly compressed to angular, soon terete; hairs stellate and dendritic. Leaves opposite or subopposite, shortly petiolate, penninerved. Inflorescence a raceme; bracts small, unilateral. Calyx short, entire to shortly toothed. Corolla 5-lobed, joined halfway, regular, orange to pink or red, with a dark glandular patch at base of each lobe, stellate-pubescent, weakly explosive at anthesis; tube with a basal swelling; tip of bud fusiform to obovoid; lobes usually erect, often partly cohering at tips, occasionally reflexed to coiled. Filaments arising +/- halfway up corolla lobes, slender in lower persistent part, jointed and slightly thickened above, upper part coiling, breaking off to varying degrees; anthers 4-thecous, basifixed, very short. Style filiform; stigma ovoid to obovoid or fusiform. Fruit a berry, white to red (sometimes turning black), ellipsoid, with persistent calyx.
Distribution:
Species 4, in eastern trop. Africa, montane and coastal; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Oncella curviramea (Engl.) Danser, Malawi, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Spragueanella

Balle
Description:
Small, glabrous, aerial, hemiparasitic shrubs with a single haustorial connection. Leaves subopposite, shortly petiolate. Inflorescence 2-6-flowered, shortly pedunculate axillary umbels; bract shortly cupular with a small limb with a pouch-like swelling or a spur. Calyx cupular to shortly tubular, split by expanding corolla. Corolla 5-merous, with a short tube bent in bud, yellow to red, banded green to white, developing vents in mature buds; lobes linear to linear-lanceolate at tips, reflexing below middle at anthesis, sometimes slightly cohering above. Filaments arising at base of corolla lobes, erect and filiform below, upper part thickened and inrolled at anthesis; anthers 4-thecous, linear, truncate. Style filiform; stigma capitate. Berry obovoid.
Distribution:
Species 2, E and SE trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Spragueanella rhamnifolia (Engl.) Balle, E Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Closely related to Oncocalyx but with a very short corolla tube without a V-shaped slit on one side.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Hionanthera

A.Fern. & Diniz
Description:
Annual or perennial, aquatic or terrestrial, glabrous herbs. Leaves decussate, sessile, linear, widened at base, canaliculate above. Flowers (3)4(5)-merous, in axillary, sessile, many-flowered dense dichasia surrounded by widened bases of leaves; outer bracteoles 2, +/- as long as glomerules, inner ones many, subulate, membranous, whitish. Calyx campanulate, scarious, 8-nerved below, 4-nerved above point of origin of stamens, with short appendages in sinuses and a nectariferous ring at bottom. Petals persistent, corrugated. Stamens (3)4(5), opposite lobes; anthers dorsifixed, they and pollen violet. Ovary sessile or shortly stipitate, with dissepiments interrupted above column of placenta (placenta then not continuous with style) incompletely 2-locular, 2-5-ovulate; style +/- long. Capsule thinly membranous dehiscing irregularly. Seeds few, concave-convex, relatively large, dark violet.
Distribution:
Species 2, trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 2, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Lawsonia

L.
Description:
Evergreen, glabrous shrubs or small trees; young branches 4-angular, old ones terete, rigid and often spinescent. Leaves decussate, elliptic to oblanceolate, entire. Flowers bisexual, 4-merous, in lax leafy terminal panicles. Calyx turbinate with tube short; lobes spreading and broadly ovate; appendages absent. Petals broadly ovate, cordate at base, very much corrugated in bud, slightly clawed, yellowish. Stamens exserted, 4 opposite sepals or often 8 in pairs also opposite sepals or rarely 9-12 ternate; filaments filiform-subulate; anthers broadly oblong. Ovary sessile, subglobose, 2-4-locular; style thick, continuous with placentas, persistent, a little longer than stamens; stigma capitate. Fruit globose, indehiscent or disrupting irregularly. Seeds many, thick, 4-sided; cotyledons flat.
Distribution:
Monospecific genus: Lawsonia inermis L., native of western tropical Asia, N Africa and probably of the eastern coast of Africa, widespread by cultivation in tropical regions of the world; powdered leaves (henna) used for staining fingernails etc.; sthn trop. Afr.: Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Pemphis

J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
Description:
Shrubs or small trees, silky-pilose, with young branches subangular, older ones terete, nodes rather thickened, with conspicuous scars after leaf fall. Leaves decussate, oblong-lanceolate, entire. Flowers 6-merous, regular, axillary, solitary, rarely geminate, pedicellate; pedicels 2-bracteolate at base, bracteoles very soon caducous. Calyx turbinate-campanulate, coriaceous, with lobes widely 3-angular and appendages +/- short, horn-shaped. Petals 6, obovate, corrugated, shortly clawed. Stamens 12-18, 1- or 2-seriately arising a little below middle of calyx tube, subequal or alternately unequal; filaments filiform; anthers broadly elliptic. Ovary globose, shortly stipitate, 3-locular; style short or elongate; stigma 2-lobed; ovules many, erect. Capsule subglobose, +/- enclosed in calyx tube, becoming almost 1-locular, dehiscing by a transverse slit at middle (circumscissile). Seeds many, erect, imbricate, obcuneate, winged; wing thickened.
Distribution:
Monotypic or genus with 2 species, one littoral and widespread in Old World tropics, the other confined to the low mountains of SW Madagascar; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Pemphis acidula J.R.Forst. & G.Forst., Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Sonneratia

L.f.
Description:
Trees or shrubs, evergreen, glabrous, growing in mangroves, with many thick, finger-like pneumatophores; young branches cylindric, swollen at nodes. Leaves opposite-decussate, entire, coriaceous, petiolate; stipules 0. Flowers bisexual, regular, solitary or in 3s, axillary or terminal. Calyx thick and leathery, 4-8-lobed; tube campanulate. Petals as many as and shorter than calyx lobes, strap-shaped, inconspicuous, white, resembling filaments, soon deciduous. Stamens many, showy, inflexed in bud, arising in several rows on a perigynous ring at mouth of calyx tube; filaments free, white; anthers kidney-shaped, medifixed, opening lengthwise. Ovary multilocular, adnate to calyx tube at base; ovules many, anatropous, bitegmic, on a thick axile placenta; style simple, long; stigma subcapitate. Fruit a multilocular, many-seeded berry free from calyx tube and eventually stipitate, surrounded at base by persistent calyx. Seeds curved, angular, with a thick coriaceous testa; endosperm 0; embryo with short leafy cotyledons.
Distribution:
Species 8, tropical Old World; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Sonneratia alba Sm., Mozambique. Sometimes placed in Sonneratiaceae, together with the small Indomalesian genus Duabanga Buch.-Ham.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Caucanthus

Forssk.
Description:
Woody climbers; younger stems densely covered with short soft white sericeous hairs, older ones very finely pubescent or glabrescent. Leaves spirally arranged or opposite, ovate-cordate, pubescent or glabrescent above, grey-tomentose beneath and with 2 large glands near base (usually concealed by indumentum); petiole densely sericeous, usually with 2 small glands above middle; stipules very small, deciduous. Inflorescences racemose or corymbose-paniculate, axillary or terminal. Flowers regular, bisexual, evil-smelling; bracts ovate; bracteoles lanceolate or linear-subulate. Sepals broadly ovate with a narrowed base, sericeous outside; without glands. Petals shortly unguiculate, carinate, subhastate at base, glabrous, margins wholly or partially fimbriate. Stamens glabrous, with dorsifixed, subversatile, oblong anthers; filaments somewhat fleshy. Ovary densely sericeous; styles fairly stout, truncate, shorter than, as long as or slightly exceeding stamens. Fruit with lateral wing completely surrounding nut, oblong-elliptic, entire; dorsal wing absent.
Distribution:
Species 3, E and NE Africa to Arabian Peninsula; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Caucanthusauriculatus (Radlk.) Niedenzu, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith
Flabellaria

Cav.
Description:
Woody climbers up to 15 m long. Leaves opposite, simple, petiolate, entire; stipules absent. Flowers regular, in many-flowered terminal or axillary panicled racemes, white or cream. Sepals 5, valvate, closed over petals in bud, eglandular. Petals 5, not clawed, entire, glabrous Stamens 10, all bearing anthers; filaments free or somewhat connate at very base; anthers basifixed, elliptic or oblong. Ovary 3-locular, densely pilose; styles 3, much longer than stamens. Fruit a samara with 2 lateral wings connate at base and distinct at top.
Distribution:
Monotypic genus: Flabellaria paniculata Cav., trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr.: Angola, Zambia.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 13:08 -- Emily Smith

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