Rawsonia lucida Harv. & Sond.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree; young branches glabrous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with the blade lanceolate-elliptic to oblanceolate, 7–16(–20) x (2–)2.5–6(–8.5) cm, acuminate at the apex, leathery, glabrous, glossy, entire to deeply and sharply serrate, with 6–9 pairs of lateral nerves; petiole c. 5–12 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers whitish or pinkish, on robust pedicels 1(–2) mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals unequal, suborbicular to elliptic, (2–)3–4(–5) mm long, ciliolate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals about twice as long as sepals with a hairy appendage

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 25–30

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glabrous or almost so

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit ± globose, yellow or red and c. 2–2.5 cm across when ripe, the style persisting as a short point

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 6–10 mm in diam.

Distribution

S3 East Africa and widespread in tropical and southern Africa.

Ecology

Altitude c. 50 m.

Flacourtiaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit

Evergreen shrub or small tree up to c. 7 m. tall; vegetative parts quite glabrous except for the stipule margins.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-lamina 7–16 x 2.5–6 cm., oblanceolate-oblong to lanceolate-oblong, apex acuminate, base cuneate, margin spinulose-serrate, lateral nerves in c. 7 pairs, slightly raised on both sides, venation laxly reticulate; petioles up to 1.2 cm.; stipules 5–7 mm. long, very caducous, narrowly oblong, ciliate at the margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in short, axillary, spike-like racemes usually 0.5–2 cm. long; peduncles 2–3 mm. long; pedicels stout, c. 1 mm. long, bracteoles 1 mm. long, very caducous, ovate, acute, with ciliate margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 4–5, 1.5–3.5 mm. in diam., unequal, orbicular, imbricate, very concave, margin ciliolate otherwise glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals whitish-green, similar to the sepals but c. twice the size, also unequal; petaloid scales c. 0.7 x 0.35 mm., oblong or elliptic-oblong, rounded at the apex, margin ± ciliolate with a fleshy, pubescent, elliptic or more usually bilobed gland at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens numerous; filaments white, 8 mm. long, glabrous; anthers oblong, anther-thecae c. 2 x 0.75 mm., slightly divaricate at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary pinkish, narrowly ovoid, glabrous; style very short; stigmas 3–5, 1 mm. long, spreading.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit yellow, c. 2.5 cm. in diam., globose, smooth, style persistent as a short point, slightly fleshy and berry-like at first, tardily dehiscent into 4–5 longitudinal sections when dry.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds few, c. 1 cm. in diam., subglobose.

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/146188469/146195926

Conservation

LC - least concern

Flacourtiaceae, H. Sleumer (Rijksherbarium, Leiden). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1975

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree, rarely up to 10 m. tall, much branched; bark smooth, grey to brownish, flaking off in small irregular patches.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets reddish-brownish, tips glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades oblong or oblanceolate, sometimes elliptic-oblong, apex shortly acuminate, base broadly cuneate to rounded, subcoriaceous to coriaceous, glabrous, in most characters similar to those of R. lucida, though the dentation is often less sharp, (7–)10–14 cm. long, 2.5–6.5 cm. broad; nerves 6–9 pairs, raised on both faces as is the lax reticulation; petiole 5–7 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Spikes peduncled, i.e. without flowers for their lowest (1.2–)2–4 cm., upper part of the rhachis slender, with 4–9 laxly or distantly and rather irregularly arranged flowers, glabrous, 4.5–7 cm. long including the peduncle; pedicels rather slender, 0.5–1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers very similar to those of R. lucida, generally a little smaller.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 14–18.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary glabrous or slightly pubescent; style very short; stigmas 3 or 4.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit ovoid-subglobose, glabrous, 2–3 cm. long, 1.3–2 cm. across; pericarp firmly coriaceous, possibly thicker than that of R. lucida in the mature state; pedicel 2–3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3–8.

Figures

Fig. 1/13.

Habitat

In second storey layer of upland rain-forest; 1200–2400 m.

Distribution

T3 T5 T6 T7

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/36403/9997332

Conservation

LR/CD - conservation dependent