Rubiaceae
Pentanisia

Pentanisia monticola (K.Krause) Verdc.

First published in Kew Bull. 7: 362 (1952)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Burundi to Zambia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora Zambesiaca 5:1. 1989

Morphology General Habit
Perennial erect weak herb 0.9–1.2 m. tall, with striate stems dichotomously branched at many of the nodes, glabrescent save for nodes and young shoots.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf blades 4.6–10 x 1.1–3.3 cm., lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, acute at the apex, rounded to cuneate at the base, with long appressed pubescence above and on the nerves beneath; petiole 1–4(7) mm. long; stipules with 5–6 setae, often reflexed when older, 4–9 mm. long from a base 12—2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers white, pinkish white or very pale purple, dimorphic, in slender axillary spikes, 1–5 cm. long, 2 from most nodes even the lowest, usually those where dichotomous branching occurs; peduncle 1–9.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tube 1 x 0.8–1 mm., ovoid; largest lobes 1.5–2(3) x 0.5( 1) mm., rest minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla tube 6–8(10) mm. long, c. 0.5 mm. wide at the base, 1.2–2 mm. wide at the apex, hairy inside; lobes 2 x 0.9 mm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Style in long-styled flowers exserted 2–2.2 mm.; stigma bifid, the lobes filiform c. 1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit 1.5–2 x 1.8–2 mm., globose-reniform, cordate at the base, bilocular, each coccus oblique when separated, the interface densely covered with rhaphides, thin-walled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds yellow-brown, ellipsoid, 1.4 x 0.8 mm.
[FZ]

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
[AERP]

Rubiaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1976

Morphology General Habit
Perennial erect weak herb 0.9–1.2 m. tall, with striate stems dichotomously branched at many of the nodes, glabrescent save for nodes and young shoots.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 4.6–10 cm. long, 1.1–3.3 cm. wide, acute at the apex, rounded to cuneate at the base, with long adpressed pubescence above and on the nerves beneath; petiole 1–4 (–7) mm. long; stipules with 5–6 setae, often reflexed when older, 4–9 mm. long from a base 1–2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers pinkish white or very pale purple, dimorphic, in slender axillary spikes, 1–5 cm. long, 2 from most nodes even the lowest, usually those where dichotomous branching occurs; peduncle 1–9.5 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-tube ovoid, 1 mm. long, 0.8–1 mm. wide; largest lobes 1.5–2(–3) mm. long, 0.5(–1) mm. wide, rest minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla-tube 6–8(–10) mm. long, ± 0.5 mm. wide at the base, 1.2–2 mm. wide at the apex, hairy inside; lobes 2 mm. long, 0.9 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Style in long-styled flowers exserted 2–2.2 mm.; stigma bifid, the lobes filiform ± 1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit globose-reniform, cordate at the base, 1.5–2 mm. tall, 1.8–2 mm. across, 2-locular, each coccus oblique when separated, the interface densely covered with rhaphides, thin-walled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds yellow-brown, ellipsoid, 1.4 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide.
Habitat
Coarse grassland, bushland, woodland edges, evergreen forest; 1600–2100 m.
Distribution
T1 T4 T7
[FTEA]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0