Vangueria dryadum S.Moore

Rubiaceae, D. Bridson. Flora Zambesiaca 5:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit

Straggling shrub or small tree 2.5–5 m tall.

Morphology General Bark

Bark pale grey to grey-brown, smooth or very finely fissured.

Morphology Branches

Branches long and arching, densely velvety with yellow-brown pubescence when young, later glabrous, blackish or very dark reddish-brown, minutely longitudinally fissured.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 1–5.5 × 0.5–2 cm, oblong-elliptic, ± rounded at both ends, densely velvety pubescent on both surfaces, discolorous, rather thick; petiole 2–3 mm long, velvety; stipules broad, c. 1 mm long with a subulate appendage 2–4 mm long, hairy within.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers sweetly scented, in 2–few-flowered dichasial cymes, or sometimes solitary; peduncle 5–8(12) mm long; pedicels 1.5–2 cm long; bracts 2–3 mm long, oblong; all parts densely yellowish-grey velvety pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube c. 2 mm in diameter, subglobose, densely pubescent; lobes 7–14 × 2.5–4.5 mm, oblanceolate, spathulate or narrowly oblong-elliptic, densely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla shortly tailed in bud; greenish-yellow; tube 5–6 mm long, cylindrical, densely pubescent outside, sparsely hairy at the throat and with a ring of deflexed hairs inside towards the base; lobes 7 × c. 2 mm, oblong-lanceolate, shortly apiculate, hairy outside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style exserted 5–6 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter 1.3 mm long, cylindrical, 5-lobulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 5-locular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit brown, 2–2.5 cm in diameter, with 3–5 pyrenes, mostly crowned with persistent calyx lobes, edible; pyrenes 1.5 cm long, rugulose, with a dark red dendritic sculpture and scattered microscopic yellow glands.