Bullockia mombazensis (Baill.) Razafim., Lantz & B.Bremer

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

Morphology General Habit

Compact, or less often straggling, shrub or small tree 2–7 m. tall (or rarely a ? liane); bark pale grey, glabrous or occasionally pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades pale greyish to bronze above when dry, broadly elliptic to round or broadly oblong-elliptic, 2.2–13 cm. long, 1–7.5 cm. wide, obtuse to rounded at apex, obtuse to rounded or sometimes truncate at base, often unequal, glabrous or sometimes pubescent beneath; lateral nerves apparent, in 4 main pairs; tertiary nerves always obscure; domatia absent or inconspicuous; petiole 0.2–1 cm. long; stipules light brown when dry, ovate or sometimes narrowly ovate, 0.4–1.6 cm. long, 0.2–1 cm. wide, acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5–6-merous. Functionally ♂ flowers borne in 3–20-flowered, sessile or rarely pedunculate (up to 2 mm.) umbels; pedicels 3–7 mm. long, glabrous or sometimes pubescent; calyx-tube reduced; limb lobed almost to base; lobes somewhat unequal, linear-triangular, occasionally slightly spathulate, 0.75–2 mm. long, often with a few hairs at apex; corolla whitish or yellowish green, readily caducous; tube ± 1.5 mm. long, with a ring of deflexed hairs at throat inside; lobes triangular-ovate, 1.25–1.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide at base, acute, often with a few hairs at apex outside, erect; anthers exserted but almost sessile, 0.75 mm. long; style shortly exceeding corolla-tube; stigmatic knob 0.25 mm. long and wide. Functionally ♀ flowers solitary; pedicels 0.4–1 cm. long; calyx-tube 1.75–2.5 mm. long; lobes more strongly spathulate than ♂ and 2–3 mm. long; corolla as ♂ but lobes generally more thickened; anthers ± 0.5 mm. long, with little or no pollen; style caducous.

sex Male

Functionally ♂ flowers borne in 3–20-flowered, sessile or rarely pedunculate (up to 2 mm.) umbels; pedicels 3–7 mm. long, glabrous or sometimes pubescent; calyx-tube reduced; limb lobed almost to base; lobes somewhat unequal, linear-triangular, occasionally slightly spathulate, 0.75–2 mm. long, often with a few hairs at apex; corolla whitish or yellowish green, readily caducous; tube ± 1.5 mm. long, with a ring of deflexed hairs at throat inside; lobes triangular-ovate, 1.25–1.5 mm. long, 1–1.5 mm. wide at base, acute, often with a few hairs at apex outside, erect; anthers exserted but almost sessile, 0.75 mm. long; style shortly exceeding corolla-tube; stigmatic knob 0.25 mm. long and wide.

sex Female

Functionally ♀ flowers solitary; pedicels 0.4–1 cm. long; calyx-tube 1.75–2.5 mm. long; lobes more strongly spathulate than ♂ and 2–3 mm. long; corolla as ♂ but lobes generally more thickened; anthers ± 0.5 mm. long, with little or no pollen; style caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit dark maroon, laterally compressed obovoid, 0.7–1.2 cm. long, 7–9 mm. wide, not indented at apex; calyx-lobes persistent; pedicel lengthening to 2 cm.; pyrene obovoid, flattened on ventral face, 7 mm. long, 3.5 mm. wide, crustaceous, surface ± smooth except for shallow crest around apex.

Habitat

Coastal bushland and wooded grassland to forest; 0–1200 m.

Distribution

K4 K7 P T3 T6 T8 Z

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree, unarmed, dioecious

Morphology Leaves

Leaf-blades broadly oblong-elliptic to round, 2–13 x 1–7.5 cm, obtuse to rounded at the apex, glabrous or sometimes pubescent beneath; stipules 4–16 mm long, acuminate, with a few hairs inside

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5–6-merous, functionally unisexual, the males in 3–20-flowered umbels on 3–7 mm long pedicels, the females solitary on 4–10 mm long pedicels

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-limb lobed almost to the base; lobes 0.75–2 mm long in male flowers, 2–3 mm long in female flowers

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla whitish or yellowish-green; tube c. 1.5 mm long, with a ring of deflexed hairs at throat inside; lobes 1.25–1.5 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 7–12 x 7–9 mm, crowned by persistent calyx-lobes, with 2 stones.

Distribution

S3; E Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique

Ecology

Altitude range 50–65 m.

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

Morphology General Habit

Compact, occasionally straggling, shrub or small tree 2–7 m tall (rarely a liana); bark pale grey, glabrous, or occasionally pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaf blades pale greyish to bronze above when dry, 2.2–13 × 1–7.5 cm, broadly elliptic to round or broadly oblong-elliptic, obtuse to rounded at apex, obtuse to rounded or sometimes truncate at base, often unequal, glabrous or sometimes pubescent beneath; lateral nerves in 4 main pairs; tertiary nerves always obscure; domatia absent or inconspicuous; petiole 2–10 mm long; stipules light brown when dry, 4–16 × 2–10 mm, ovate or sometimes narrowly ovate, acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5–6-merous: functionally male flowers borne in 3–20-flowered, sessile or rarely shortly pedunculate (peduncle up to 2 mm long) umbels; functionally female flowers solitary; pedicels glabrous or sometimes pubescent, 3–7 mm long in functionally male flowers and 4–10 mm long in functionally female flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube reduced in functionally male flowers, 1.75–2.5 mm long in functionally female flowers; calyx limb lobed almost to the base; lobes in functionally male flowers somewhat unequal, 0.75–2 mm long, linear-triangular, occasionally slightly spathulate; lobes in functionally female flowers usually broader, 2–3 mm long, more strongly spathulate and often with a few hairs at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla whitish or yellowish-green, readily caducous; tube c. 1.5 mm long with a ring of deflexed hairs at the throat inside; lobes 1.25–1.5 × 1–1.5 mm wide at base, triangular-ovate, acute, often with a few hairs at the apex outside, erect, apex generally more thickened in functionally female flowers than in functionally male flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers present in both flower forms, exserted but almost sessile, c. 0.75 mm long in functionally male flowers, c. 0.5 mm long in functionally female flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style shortly exceeding corolla tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter 0.25 mm long and wide, persistent in functionally male flowers and caducous in functionally female flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit dark maroon when mature, 7–12 × 7–9 mm, flattened obovoid, not indented at the apex; calyx lobes persistent; pedicel lengthening to 20 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Pyrene

Pyrene 7 × 3.5 mm, obovoid, with ventral face flattened, crustaceous, surface ± smooth except for a shallow crest around the apex.