Biophytum helenae Buscal. & Muschl.

Oxalidaceae, Christine H. S. Kabuye  (East African Herbarium). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb; stem generally simple but sometimes shortly branched at apex, usually slender but sometimes up to 5 mm. in diameter, ± widening at the apex, hairy.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves in 1 or, in stout plants, up to 5 rosettes at apex of stem or branches, 2–15 cm. long, 5–21-jugate, sensitive to touch, the leaflets closing together upwards; leaflets subsessile, the apical ones usually the largest, 1–1.5 times the length of next pair, decreasing in size downwards, the largest obliquely obovate, the others obliquely rectangular, rounded at the apex but sometimes abruptly and shortly apiculate, truncate at the base, pubescent on both surfaces or glabrous except at the ciliate margin; lateral nerves ± inconspicuous from above, thin but distinct from beneath, usually twice as many in the lower half as in the upper half (halves in relation to leaf-rhachis); petiole and rhachis pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers in peduncled 3–10-flowered pseudumbels; peduncles usually longer than the leaves, pubescent; bracts 2 mm. long, acutely acuminate, 1-nerved, pubescent; pedicels up to 7 mm.long, pubescent, sometimes glandular hairy, articulate up to 3 mm. above the point of insertion, so that when the upper parts drop off the basal stumps are seen among the bracts.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 4–5 mm. long, acutely acuminate, 3–5-nerved, pubescent, sometimes also with a few glandular hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals spathulate, 1.5–2 times as long as the sepals, white, yellow or pinkish-purple, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments shortly connate at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary deeply 5-lobed; styles hairy near the base, glabrous towards the apex and shortly bifid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule obovoid, 3 mm. long and 2 mm. in diameter.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds flattened-ellipsoid, small, up to 0.5 mm. long, rugose, brown.

Figures

Fig. 2/C, p. 13.

Habitat

Riversides and in clearings of rain-forest and riverine forest, less commonly in open or wooded grassland; 790–1980 m.

Distribution

T4 T7 T8 U2 U4