Pycnocoma littoralis Pax

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

Euphorbiaceae, A. R.-Smith. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1987

Morphology General Habit

A sparingly branched or single-stemmed shrub or small tree up to 10 m. tall, but more commonly 3–6 m. tall.

Morphology General Bark

Bark rough, greyish.

Morphology General Shoots

Young shoots lenticellate, glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves crowded towards the ends of the branches, sometimes pseudoverticillate; petiole (0.7–)1–2 cm. long, glabrous; leaf-blade obovate to oblong-oblanceolate, (7–)10–22 cm. long, (2.5–)4–10 cm. wide, subacute or obtuse at the apex, cuneate or attenuate to the acute base, shallowly repand-denticulate-crenulate except towards the base, or rarely subentire, coriaceous, lateral nerves (9–)11–16 pairs, looped well within the margin, midrib scarcely prominent above, prominent beneath, lateral nerves and reticulate tertiary nerve-network prominent both above and beneath, quite glabrous above and beneath, pale green.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 0.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes strobiliform when young, ± 1.5 cm. long, densely pubescent, later extending to 3–5.5 cm. in length by the early fruiting stage; axis densely pubescent; ♂ bracts at first closely imbricate, later more spaced out, not reflexed, transversely ovate, concave, 2.5 mm. long, 5 mm. wide, subentire or minutely denticulate, densely crisped-sericeous-pubescent without, glabrous within, pale green, 1-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers:pedicels 4–6 mm. long, densely villous; sepals 3(–5), ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 6 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, acute or subacute, densely sericeous-villous without, evenly pubescent within in the upper half, pale green; disc-gland mass ± glabrous, vermilion; stamens ± 100, 1.5 cm. long, the filaments white, anthers 0.5 mm. long. Female flowers:sepals 5, obovate, 3–5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, subcucullate, indumented as the ♂ sepals; ovary trilobate, 2 mm. long, 2.5 mm. diameter, each lobe with two deltoid dorsal ridges, densely velutinous; styles united for a third to half their length, 4.5 mm. long, densely pubescent.

sex Male

Male flowers:pedicels 4–6 mm. long, densely villous; sepals 3(–5), ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 6 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, acute or subacute, densely sericeous-villous without, evenly pubescent within in the upper half, pale green; disc-gland mass ± glabrous, vermilion; stamens ± 100, 1.5 cm. long, the filaments white, anthers 0.5 mm. long.

sex Female

Female flowers:sepals 5, obovate, 3–5 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, subcucullate, indumented as the ♂ sepals; ovary trilobate, 2 mm. long, 2.5 mm. diameter, each lobe with two deltoid dorsal ridges, densely velutinous; styles united for a third to half their length, 4.5 mm. long, densely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits trilobate, occasionally quadrilobate, shortly 6- or 8-horned, 2–3 cm. long, 3–4 cm. diameter, fulvous tomentose, tardily dehiscent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid-trigonous, 2.5 cm. long, 2 cm. diameter, striate, brownish.

Habitat

Coastal forest near the sea or by water inland, often on coral; 0–90 m.

Distribution

not known elsewhere K7 T3 T6