Ochna holstii Engl.

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

Ochnaceae, N. K. B. Robson. Flora Zambesiaca 2:1. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Tree 3–20 m. high (to 27 m. in East Africa), with bark smooth, grey or grey-brown; branches ± quadrangular, purplish-brown and glabrous or very rarely papillose-puberulous at first, becoming striate or slightly ridged and glabrous, with bark not exfoliating, with numerous small lenticels often somewhat elongated laterally.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate; lamina (3) 5–12·2 × (1·2) 1·5–3·9 (4·3) cm., oblanceolate or obovate to elliptic or oblong, acute or acutely to obtusely acuminate at the apex, with margin densely curved-serrulate, cuneate at the base (more rarely narrowed to a rounded base), herbaceous to chartaceous, with numerous widely spreading lateral nerves (usually at almost 90° to the midrib) and densely reticulate tertiary venation prominent above (with main laterals rather more prominent than subsidiaries) and smooth below; petiole 1–3 (3·5) mm. long, rather slender, grooved above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers (5) 7–14 (20) in a ± elongated raceme, simple or very rarely branched at the base, with rhachis up to 20 mm. long, rarely pseudumbellate; pedicels 1·3–3·5 (4·1) cm. long in fruit, articulated in the lower 1/6 or at the base, glabrous or rarely papillose-puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 6–9 mm. long in flower, oblong-elliptic, rounded, becoming pinkish-red to deep-red, 9–15 (18) mm. long, flat and spreading in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals pale to bright yellow, (8) 10–12 × 3–6 mm., obovate, narrowed to a short claw.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens with anthers (1) 1·5–2 mm. long, c. 1/2 as long as the filaments, straight, dehiscing by longitudinal slits.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Carpels

Carpels 5 (6), with styles completely united (or very rarely slightly free at the apex); stigma 5 (6)-lobed or subglobose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Drupelets (8) 9–12 (14) × (5) 6–7 (9) mm., ± flattened-cylindric, rarely ovoid or subglobose, inserted at or near the base; embryo straight.

Ochnaceae, B. Verdcourt, B.Sc., Ph.D. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Morphology General Habit

Tree or shrub 3–27 m tall with smooth grey or greybrown bark; branches purplish brown, somewhat angular, usually glabrous or rarely puberulous when young; bark not peeling, lenticellate; slash pink to dull red.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly rather thin, oblanceolate, obovate or elliptic to oblong, (1.5–)5–13 cm long, (0.7–)1.2–4.3 cm wide, usually acute to narrowly acutely acuminate, but can be more obtuse in small-leaved forms in south, cuneate to ± rounded at the base, margin densely curved-serrulate; lateral veins 20–25, usually ± at right angles to mid-rib together with the dense tertiary venation prominent above; petiole 1–3(–3.5) mm long, ± slender and often appearing longer since leaves can be borne on very short slender spur shoots, but with a small bud at junction with petiole.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5–20 in racemiform inflorescences with rhachis up to 2 cm long, less often subumbellate; pedicels 1.3–4 cm long, articulated at base (first flower) or within 3 mm of it, glabrous or rarely puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals oblong-elliptic, unequal, 6–9 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, becoming deep red in fruit, 9–18 mm long, (3.5–)6–8 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals pale to bright yellow, obovate, 8–12 mm long, 3–6 mm wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Anthers 1–2 mm long, ± 1/2 length of the filaments, dehiscing by longitudinal slits.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Carpels 5(–6) with styles usually completely united; stigma subglobose or 5–6-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Drupelets black, ellipsoid-cylindric, less often ovoid or subglobose, 8–14 mm long, 5–9 mm wide, inserted at or near base.

Habitat

Various types of upland evergreen forest, drier forest, montane forest, rain-forest; also atypically a small shrub in upland grassland and thicket, on granite rocks by waterfalls and in Songea a form in crevices of rock outcrops; (250– (see note)) 900–2350 m

Distribution

K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 U1