genus descriptions: SSTAs

Berlinia

Sol. ex Hook.f.
Description:
Unarmed trees. Leaves paripinnate; stipules intrapetiolar, connate into a scale (at least on mature shoots); leaflets opposite or subopposite, in (1)2-5 pairs, petiolulate, equal or +/- unequal-sided at base, with or without translucent dots. Flowers in racemes or panicles of racemes; bracteoles 2, well-developed, valvate, completely enclosing flower buds, persistent. Hypanthium tubular, 7-20 mm long. Sepals 5, subequal. Petals 5: upper one relatively very large and long-clawed, 4 others much reduced. Stamens 10; filaments exserted, 9 of them shortly connate at base, the other one free. Ovary shortly stipitate, arising on tube of hypanthium; ovules 2-8. Pod dehiscing elastically into 2 flattened woody valves which are obliquely transversely nerved when mature; upper suture narrowly winged on each side. Seeds compressed, +/- obovate-elliptic to elliptic or quadrate, with thin testa and short funicle.
Distribution:
Species 15, trop. Africa; sthn trop. 11, Angola, Zambia, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Brenaniodendron

J.Leonard
Description:
Unarmed evergreen trees. Leaves always paripinnate; leaflets 3-20, always opposite, with some gland-dots underneath. Inflorescence racemose. Flowers bisexual, spirally arranged along inflorescence axis; receptacle cupuliform, very short, much shorter than sepals; pedicels not jointed; bracteoles very small, not enclosing flower buds. Sepals 4, imbricate, +/- glabrous inside. Petals 5, subequal. Stamens 10; filaments free, equal, glabrous, 2-21/2-times as long as anthers; anthers narrowly elliptic, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary stipitate, pubescent near margins; stipe of ovary adnate to wall at bottom of receptacle; ovules 2 ; style elongate; stipe, ovary and style together clearly longer than stamens; stigma capitate. Pods flattened, woody, dehiscing elastically into 2 valves, with low wing-shaped ridges to both sides of ventral suture. Seeds large, compressed, with thin wall, exareolate.
Distribution:
Monotypic genus: Brenaniodendron carvalhoi (Harms) J.Leonard (= Cynometra carvalhoi Harms), Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Bussea

Harms
Description:
Shrubs or more usually trees, unarmed and always with brown or rusty indumentum on young shoots and also inflorescences. Leaves usually opposite or subopposite, but varying sometimes to alternate, bipinnate; stipules small, subulate; specialized glands restricted to petiole and rhachis or absent; leaflets usually opposite, eglandular. Inflorescences of terminal panicles with flowers densely and racemosely arranged along branches; rarely and casually (in B. massaiensis) inflorescence reduced to a simple raceme; bracts small, falling as, or before flowers open. Flowers bisexual. Sepals 5, imbricate, inner ones with hyaline erose margins. Petals 5, upper one smaller than rest, all with rusty indumentum in middle and on claw. Stamens 10; filaments rusty-tomentose at base, eglandular; anthers dorsifixed, dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary free, subsessile, densely brown-tomentose; ovules 2 or 3; style +/- clothed like ovary; stigma enlarged and peltate. Pods erect, linear-oblanceolate, +/- compressed, not winged, elastically dehiscing into 2 recurving woody valves each of which has a conspicuous longitudinal groove down middle. Seeds 1-3, longitudinal; funicle short; endosperm absent.
Distribution:
Sthn trop. Afr. 3, Angola, Zambia, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Calopogonium

Desv.
Description:
Herbaceous or woody climbers or trailers. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; stipels present. Flowers blue or violet, small, in fascicles arranged in short to long axillary nodose pseudoracemes, or in axillary subsessile fascicles; bracts and bracteoles small, deciduous. Calyx campanulate or shortly tubular, 5-lobed, upper pair free or +/- connate to form a 2-toothed lip. Petals : standard obovate, auriculate at base, auricles inflexed; wings narrow, adhering to obtuse keel. Stamens : vexillary stamen free; anthers mostly 8 or 9, all similar. Ovary sessile, many-ovuled; style filiform or subulate, usually +/- incurved, glabrous or pubescent; stigma terminal, capitate. Pods linear or linear-oblong, +/- compressed, 2-valved, dehiscent, mostly septate between seeds, outer surface transversely furrowed, giving the appearance that pod might break into segments. Seeds compressed-globose or oblong.
Distribution:
Species 6-8, confined to the warmer parts of America; 1 species: *Calopogonium mucunoides Desv., now widely cultivated as a cover crop and often found as an escape in the Old World tropics; in sthn trop. Afr. reported as an escape in Malawi.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Calpocalyx

Harms
Description:
Shrubs or small trees; trunk much branched; branchlets glabrous. Leaves bipinnate, consisting of a single pair of pinnae each bearing 3-7 pairs of opposite leaflets with basal leaflet often single; leaflets elliptic-oblanceolate with asymmetric base. Inflorescences with flowers crowded in dense, narrowly cylindric spikes on long peduncles arranged in ample terminal, or sometimes axillary panicles. Flowers bisexual or unisexual by abortion. Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed. Petals 5, cohering in lower half. Stamens 10; filaments filiform, arising at base of petals, free or slightly coherent at base; anther connective ending in a caducous gland. Ovary +/- stipitate, oblong, pubescent, arising in bottom of receptacle; ovules 4 or 5; style slender, ending in a tapering stigma. Pod dehiscing with 2 glabrous, triangular, woody valves.
Distribution:
Species 11, tropical W Africa; sthn trop. Afr. 1: Calpocalyx dinklagei Harms (= C. crawfordianus Mendes), Angola.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Camoensia

Welw. ex Benth.
Description:
Climbing shrubs or lianes. Leaves digitately trifoliolate; leaflets petiolulate, often stipellate. Inflorescences axillary racemes; bracts and bracteoles short, caducous. Flowers showy, articulated below pedicel. Calyx turbinate; lobes 5, deltoid or lanceolate, upper 2 +/- connate. Petals all free; vexillum orbicular; wings and carina ovate. Stamens 10 or 11; filaments fused at least towards base into a tube with free portions recurved in bud; anthers uniform, linear, dorsifixed. Ovary sericeous, stipitate; stipe laterally fused to receptacle in lower part; ovules many; style filiform, involute in bud; stigma terminal, capitate, small. Pod broadly linear to oblong, flattened, few-seeded, coriaceous, dehiscent into 2 valves; base of style persistent. Seeds +/- rhombic, flattened.
Distribution:
Species 2, tropical W African coast; sthn trop. Afr. 2, Angola.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Centrosema

(DC.) Benth.
Description:
Climbing herbs or subshrubs. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate; stipules small, striate; stipels present. Inflorescences (1)few-many-flowered, falsely racemose; bracts paired, striate; bracteoles appressed tocalyx, striate. Calyx 5-lobed, upper pair largely joined into a bifid lip. Corolla showy; standard broad, with a conspicuous spur on back above claw, often pubescent outside. Stamens : vexillary filament free or joined to others at base. Ovary linear, many-ovuled; style curved, flattened and slightly widened towards terminal stigma, pubescent or bearded at apex. Pod linear, with 4 raised nerves or wings, dehiscent. Seeds variously coloured, oblong or ellipsoid, with an elliptic to linear hilum.
Distribution:
Species +/- 45, neotropics and subtropics, a few of which are widely cultivated in the Old World as cover crops; sthn trop. Afr. 1: *Centrosema pubescens Benth., cultivated and recorded as an escape, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Codiaeum

A.Juss.
Description:
Monoecious or occasionally dioecious shrubs or small trees with a simple indumentum, or glabrous. Leaves alternate, petiolate, minutely stipulate or stipules absent, simple, entire or 3-lobed, occasionally the lamina contorted or interrupted along the midrib, penninerved, eglandular or +/- so. Inflorescence s axillary or subterminal, racemose, solitary or paired, usually unisexual, pedunculate; male bracts 1-6-flowered; female bracts l-flowered. Male flowers : pedicels slender, jointed; sepals (3)5(6), closely imbricate; petals (3)5(6), small, minute or 0; disc glands 5-15, free, alternipetalous; stamens 15-100, filaments free, anthers erect, extrorse, dorsifixed, connective broad, thecae apically confluent, longitudinally dehiscent; pistillode absent. Female flowers : pedicels shorter and stouter than in the male, not jointed; sepals smaller than in the male, otherwise +/- similar; petals absent; disc shallowly cupular, subentire or shallowly 5-lobed; ovary 3-locular, 1 ovule per locule; styles 3, shortly connate at the base, spreading or recurved, usually simple. Fruit globose or 3-lobed, dehiscing septicidally into 3 bivalved cocci; pericarp thin; endocarp thinly woody; columella persistent. Seed s ovoid to subglobose, carunculate; testa smooth, shiny, marmorate, crustaceous; albumen fleshy; cotyledons broad, flat.
Distribution:
Species 16, ranging from Malaysia to N Australia and Polynesia; *Codiaeum variegatum (L.) A.Juss. is widely cultivated in the tropics, often becoming naturalised.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Euphorbia

L.
Description:
Sthn trop. Afr. 150, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, and sthn Afr. *Euphorbia leucocephala Lotsy, an introduced ornamental, has become invasive, particularly in some urban areas [Coates Palgrave: 460 (2002)]. Chamaesyce is sometimes treated as a genus distinct from Euphorbia. The following characters in combination distinguish it from Euphorbia : Annual or perennial herbs with milky latex, with main axis aborting above cotyledons. Leaves opposite, inaequilateral at base; veins surrounded by a chlorenchyma sheath; stipules present, interpetiolar. Seeds usually ecarunculate. Archer: 255 (2000) argues for considering Chamaesyce a subgenus of Euphorbia.
Source:
SSTA
Synonym(s):
Chamaesyce S.F.Gray: 260 (1821); Koutnik: 262 (1984); Webster: 129 (1994); Radcliffe-Smith: 415 (2001).

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith
Maesobotrya

Benth.
Description:
Dioecious trees or shrubs with a simple indumentum. Leaves alternate, often long-petiolate, stipulate, simple, entire or toothed, penninerved; petioles bipulvinate; stipules minute and deciduous (or foliaceous and persistent elsewhere). Inflorescence s axillary (or cauliflorous elsewhere), solitary (or fasciculate elsewhere), racemose (or subspicate elsewhere); bracts usually 1-flowered; flowers shortly pedicellate. Male flowers : calyx (4)5-lobed, imbricate; petals absent; disc glands (4)5, alternating with the stamens, fleshy, contiguous; stamens (4)5(6), opposite the sepals; filaments free; anthers erect, dorsifixed, introrse, thecae parallel, longitudinally dehiscent; pistillode cylindric, not lobed. Female flowers : calyx as in the male; petals absent; disc hypogynous, cupular, entire; ovary (1)2(4)-locular, with 2 ovules per locule; styles short; stigmas bifid, recurved. Fruit subglobose or ellipsoid, subdrupaceous, tardily loculicidally dehiscent; pericarp thin; endocarp 1-locular by suppression. Seed s solitary by abortion, ellipsoid, ecarunculate; testa thin; albumen copious; cotyledons broad, flat, green.
Distribution:
Species +/- 20, all in W trop. Africa, except 1 in Uganda; sthn trop. Afr. 2 (but most probably further spp. in N Angola), Angola, Zambia.
Source:
SSTA

Mon, 2009-03-23 12:53 -- Emily Smith

Pages