genus descriptions: SSTAs

Endodesmia

Benth.
Description:
Tall trees; branches +/-cylindric, smooth and glabrous. Leaves opposite, petiolate, elliptic to obovate, obtuse to cuneate at base, +/-long-acuminate at apex, with numerous parallel lateral veins and translucid glandular canals indistinct in mature leaves. Inflorescences terminal or axillary cymes. Flowers bisexual. Sepals 5, imbricate, caducous. Petals 5, contorted, caducous. Disc circular, surrounding base of ovary. Stamens fused into a tube; anthers many, stipitate and arising on inside of staminal tube along its entire height. Ovary 1-locular and 1-ovate; style narrowly cylindric, truncate. Fruit drupaceous, on a thick, fleshy pedicel. Seed 1, subglobose; cotyledons fleshy.
Distribution:
Monotypic genus: Endodesmia calophylloides Benth., trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr.: Angola (Cabinda).
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Harungana

Lam.
Description:
Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, petiolate, entire, with opaque glandular dots and stellate or dendroid indumentum. Inflorescence a terminal corymbose panicle. Flowers bisexual. Sepals 5, glanduliferous. Petals 5, +/-villous within, glanduliferous, sometimes with swollen nectariferous tissue at base. Androecium of 5 fascicles of stamens with few stamens in each fascicle, with filaments fused for most of their length, and with 5 fleshy scale-like fasciclodes alternating with fascicles. Ovary 5-locular; styles 5, free or united at base; ovules 2(3) per locule, basal. Fruit a drupe with 5 pyrenes cohering to form a spherical mass. Seeds cylindric, curved.
Distribution:
Species 2, trop. Africa and Mascarene islands; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Harungana madagascariensis Lam. ex Poir., Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA
Synonym(s):
Haronga Thouars; Exell: 27 (1927); White: 256 (1962) as synonym.

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Mammea

L.
Description:
Tall trees with greyish branches. Leaves opposite, petiolate, simple, oblong to elliptic, entire, glabrous, coriaceous, with numerous translucid dots; midrib very prominent beneath, lateral veins parallel, fairly inconspicuous; stipules 0. Flowers bisexual and male, regular; male flowers in axillary fascicles, usually on nodes from which leaves have already fallen; bisexual flowers solitary, axillary, on a long, accrescent pedicel. Calyx entire in bud, opening into 2(3) +/-persistent segments. Petals 4(5-6), elliptic to obovate, glabrous, white, caducous. Stamens many, free or fused into a ring at base. Ovary 2-locular; ovules 2 per locule, sometimes 4-locular with 1 ovule per locule due to a false septum; placentation basal; style very short; stigma peltate, 2-4-lobed. Fruit drupaceous, rarely dehiscent, with 1-4 fibrous, 1-seeded nutlets. Seeds large; embryo with a large fleshy radicle and cotyledons reduced to a mamilliform projection or 0.
Distribution:
Species +/-50, tropics of Old and New World; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Mammea africana Sabine, Angola (Cabinda).
Source:
SSTA
Synonym(s):
Ochrocarpos Thouars; Oliver: 169 (1868) as Ochrocarpus ; Exell: 30 (1927) as Ochrocarpus .

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Pentadesma

Sabine
Description:
Tall trees, usually with a long clean bole; bark dark brown to almost black. Leaves opposite, grouped towards tips of branches, petiolate, oblong to obovate, cuneate at base, obtuse or shortly acuminate at apex, coriaceous, glabrous; lateral veins parallel, not clearly visible on upper surface; glandular dots not visible on lower surface. Inflorescences terminal, racemose panicles or racemes. Flowers bisexual; large and showy; pedicel stout, articulated near base. Sepals 5, free, 2 exterior shorter than interior ones which equal petals, imbricate, concave, coriaceous, +/-persistent. Petals 5, free, contorted in bud, coriaceous, oblong or ovate, +/-persistent. Stamens many, in 5 epipetalous fascicles alternating with 5 small pyramidal bodies; filaments filiform, shortly connate at base; anthers filiform, with very short pointed tail at base. Ovary 5-locular, ovoid-ellipsoid, with 7-14 axile ovules in 2 rows per locule; style elongated, ending in 5 linear lobes. Fruit a large 5-locular, globose or ovoid berry with coriaceous exocarp and with calyx, stamens and pyramidal bodies persistent at base. Seeds +/-triangular or irregularly shaped, embedded in yellow pulp.
Distribution:
Species 5, trop. Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Pentadesma butyracea Sabine, Angola (Cabinda).
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Psorospermum

Spach
Description:
Trees, shrubs or shrublets. Leaves opposite, less frequently subopposite or alternate, petiolate, entire, often furnished with opaque glandular dots and stellate indumentum. Inflorescence a terminal panicle, usually cymose. Flowers bisexual. Sepals 5, with longitudinal linear glands. Petals 5, villous within, furnished with longitudinal glandular lines and swollen nectariferous tissue at base. Androecium of 5 fascicles of stamens, with few to many stamens in each fascicle and filaments united for most of their length; fasciclodes 5, fleshy, scale-like, alternating with fascicles. Ovary 5-locular, with 1(2)-ovulate locules and ascending ovules; styles 5, free. Fruit a berry. Seeds large, with a fleshy glandular-punctate testa.
Distribution:
Species 45, trop. Africa and Madagascar; sthn trop. Afr. 4, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. This genus differs from Vismia Vand. in having usually one ovule per locule instead of many, and seeds with a fleshy testa.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Symphonia

L.f.
Description:
Medium or large trees, with a straight bole and a crown of short horizontal branches. Leaves opposite, petiolate, entire, +/-coriaceous, glabrous, with +/-prominent venation, opaque or rarely with translucent glands. Inflorescence a terminal, one- to many-flowered, corymbose or umbellate cyme. Flowers bisexual, pedicellate. Sepals 5. Petals 5, incurved at anthesis. Androecium of 5 fascicles of stamens united to form a tube around ovary, and 5 united fasciclodes forming an annulus outside stamen tube. Ovary 5-locular; loculi (1)few- to many-ovulate; styles 5, united below, spreading above; stigmas minute. Fruit a 1-3-seeded berry with tough epidermis. Seeds large, with a fibrous aril.
Distribution:
Species +/-16, all confined to Madagascar except Symphonia globulifera L.f.; found within sthn trop. Afr. in Angola and Zambia. This species yields a resin of economic importance.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Vismia

Vand.
Description:
Small trees, shrubs or lianes with orange latex. Leaves opposite, petiolate with an interpetiolar ridge, entire, ovate to elliptic, with opaque glandular dots. Inflorescences terminal or axillary cymes, cymose panicles or glomerules. Flowers bisexual, regular. Sepals 5, +/-ovate, with longitudinal linear glands, persistent. Petals 5, narrowly obovate, villose within, with longitudinal linear glands or glanddots, caducous. Interstaminal glands 5, glabrous. Stamens in 5 bundles of few to many stamens opposite petals; upper part of filaments free; anthers longitudinally dehiscent. Ovary 5-locular; ovules 5 or more per locule, arranged in 2 rows; styles 5, free, +/-persistent. Fruit a berry. Seeds many, dry; radicle very short.
Distribution:
Species 51, tropical America and Africa (7 spp.); sthn trop. Afr. 4, Angola, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA
Synonym(s):
Caopia Adans.; Hiern: 58 (1896).

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Cochlospermum

Kunth
Description:
Description as for family.
Distribution:
Species 15, tropics of America, Africa, Asia and Australia; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Cochlospermum angolense Welw. ex Oliv., Angola.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Conocarpus

L.
Description:
Shrubs or trees (mangroves); bark fissured; branches subangular to narrowly winged, pubescent when young. Leaves alternate, petiolate, somewhat fleshy, with 2 or 4 glands at base, entire, with domatia along midrib in axils of secondary veins. Flowers bisexual, small, crowded in dense, cone-shaped heads borne in racemes. Calyx : tube compressed, truncate, not prolonged above ovary; limb urceolate, 5(6)-lobed, deciduous. Petals absent. Stamens (5)7(10), in 2 whorls, exserted; filaments filiform, glabrous. Disc long-pubescent. Ovary inferior, 1-locular; ovules 2. Fruit a trapezoidal, samara-like, glabrous, brownish maroon achene with a corky pericarp. Seeds cylindric, curved, whitish.
Distribution:
Species 2, seashores in tropical America and tropical W Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Conocarpus erectus L., Angola.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith
Laguncularia

C.F.Gaertn.
Description:
Polygamous shrubs or small trees (mangroves); branchlets glabrous. Leaves opposite, petiolate, coriaceous to fleshy, obovate or elliptic, glabrous; petiole with a pair of glands towards top. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, sessile, subpaniculate; bracts ovate; bracteoles adnate to calyx tube. Calyx : tube turbinate, not prolonged above ovary; limb urceolate, 5-fid, persistent. Petals absent, or minute and caducous. Stamens 10, in 2 rows, included. Ovary inferior, 1-locular, crowned by an epigynous disc; ovules 2. Fruit coriaceous, crowned by calyx limb, shortly club-shaped, subtrigonous, ribbed, shortly pubescent. Seed oblong-ovoid.
Distribution:
Species 2, Atlantic coast of tropical America and W coast of Africa from Senegal to Angola; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Laguncularia racemosa (L.) P.Gaertn., Angola.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:56 -- Emily Smith

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