Agelanthus Tiegh.

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol. 9, Part 3. Polygonaceae-Myriaceae. Pope GV, Polhill RM, Martins ES. 2006.

Morphology General Habit

Shrubs, mostly extending 0.5–2 m from a single haustorial connection; twigs terete to slightly compressed or angular; hairs, if present, simple or irregularly branched Shrubs, mostly extending 0.5–2 m from a single haustorial connection; twigs terete to slightly compressed or angular; hairs, if present, simple or irregularly branched.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate to opposite, shortly petiolate; lateral nerves spreading-ascending to strongly ascending from the base Leaves alternate to opposite, shortly petiolate; lateral nerves spreading-ascending to strongly ascending from the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style isodiametric or swollen opposite filaments and constricted above (skittle-shaped); stigma small, capitate

Note

This is the largest genus in Africa and shows considerable modification in the structures of the flower related to pollination. The species have generally been grouped with or close to Tapinanthus (Loranthus sect. Constrictiflori), but readily distinguished from the species included here in Tapinanthus by the colour-banded flowers with vents opening in the mature buds, the corolla lobes generally remaining erect (reflexed only in A. deltae). The species can be attributed to five sections. Section Acranthemum (Tiegh.) Polhill & Wiens (Acranthemum Tiegh.; Loranthus sect. Acranthemum (Tiegh.) Sprague).  Leaves penninerved. Flowers terminal on short shoots or in axillary umbels; bract small. Calyx saucer-shaped. Corolla buds subcylindrical, apiculate, only slightly swollen at base, with subdued colour banding; lobes longer than in other sections, not hardened. Stamen filaments with or without a small ledge in front of the anther. Style isodiametric to skittle-shaped. Species 1–2. Section Obtectiflori (Engl.) Polhill & Wiens (Loranthus sect. Tapinanthus group Obtectiflori Engl.; Loranthus sect. Obtectiflori (Engl.) Sprague). Leaves with spreading-ascending nerves. Flowers in pedunculate umbels in axils or terminal on short shoots; bract ± leafy. Calyx saucer-shaped. Corolla subcylindrical in bud, slightly apiculate, scarcely swollen at base, multicoloured; lobes not hardened. Stamen filaments with a small tooth. Style isodiameteric. Species 3–4 Section Agelanthus (Loranthus sect. Infundibuliformes (Engl.) Sprague). Leaves with few strongly ascending nerves from base. Flowers clustered in axils or in very shortly pedunculate axillary umbels; bract cupular with a small limb. Calyx cupular to tubular. Corolla subcylindrical in bud or conspicuously swollen at base, with strong colour banding in various combinations; lobes not hardened. Stamen filaments slightly tapered, sometimes corrugated with a hardened tip, without (elsewhere occasionally with) a tooth in front of the anther. Style isodiametric or slightly skittle-shaped, but then thickened part winged or cross-shaped in section. Species 5–8, 23. Section Purpureiflori (Engl.) Polhill & Wiens (Loranthus sect. Tapinanthus group. Purpureiflori Engl.; Loranthus sect. Purpureiflori (Engl.) Sprague; Loranthus sect. Erectilobi sensu Sprague in part). Leaves with few strongly ascending nerves from base. Flowers in sessile or very shortly pedunculate umbels, with pedicels in sockets; bracts cupular. Calyx cupular to tubular. Corolla subcylindrical in bud or with a marked basal swelling, red banded yellow over vents; lobes glossy inside but not hardened. Stamen filament tips pale, hardened and thickened, with a distinct tooth in front of the anther. Style skittle-shaped. Species 9–11. Section Erectilobi (Sprague) Polhill & Wiens (Loranthus sect. Erectilobi Sprague in large part). Leaves penninerved with lower nerves ± strongly ascending. Flowers in shortly pedunculate umbels; bracts saucer-shaped with a small limb. Calyx saucer-shaped to shortly cupular. Corolla with ± swollen head in bud and markedly swollen base, yellow to red, banded over vents, reddish at tip of lobes; lobes usually glossy and hardened inside (least so in A. molleri). Stamen filaments rarely hardened, toothed. Style skittle-shaped. Species 12–22.

Distribution

59 species in Africa and Arabia.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers borne in sessile to pedunculate umbels, clustered or rarely singly in axils, sometimes terminal on short shoots; bract shallowly to distinctly cupular, with a small to leafy limb. Flowers borne in sessile to pedunculate umbels, clustered or rarely singly in axils, sometimes terminal on short shoots; bract shallowly to distinctly cupular, with a small to leafy limb

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx saucer-shaped to tubular, entire to slightly toothed. Calyx saucer-shaped to tubular, entire to slightly toothed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 5-lobed, the lobes relatively short (elsewhere occasionally longer than tube), generally conspicuously banded in different colours, developing vents below tip (bud apex swollen or not) and opening with a short V-split; basal swelling present or absent; lobes linear-lanceolate to linear-elliptic above claw, generally remaining erect (not in A. deltae), sometimes shiny and hardened inside. Corolla 5-lobed, the lobes relatively short (elsewhere occasionally longer than tube), generally conspicuously banded in different colours, developing vents below tip (bud apex swollen or not) and opening with a short V-split; basal swelling present or absent; lobes linear-lanceolate to linear-elliptic above claw, generally remaining erect (not in A deltae), sometimes shiny and hardened inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamen filaments inserted near top of corolla tube, short, inflexed or rarely inrolled, sometimes corrugated, sometimes hardened at tip, with or without a ledge or tooth in front of the anther; anthers 4-thecous, linear, with connective not or only slightly produced at apex. Stamen filaments inserted near top of corolla tube, short, inflexed or rarely inrolled, sometimes corrugated, sometimes hardened at tip, with or without a ledge or tooth in front of the anther; anthers 4-thecous, linear, with connective not or only slightly produced at apex

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style isodiametric or swollen opposite filaments and constricted above (skittle-shaped); stigma small, capitate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Berry ellipsoid to obovoid, smooth to warty, usually ripening red. Berry ellipsoid to obovoid, smooth to warty, usually ripening red.