Sapotaceae
Vitellariopsis

Vitellariopsis kirkii (Baker) Dubard

First published in Ann. Mus. Colon. Marseille, sér. 3, 3: 45 (1915)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. Kenya to Mozambique (Nampula). It is a shrub or tree and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Sapotaceae, J. H. Hemsley. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit
Spreading much-branched shrub or small tree, height up to 5 m.
Morphology General Indumentum
Young shoots with brownish indumentum, later becoming glabrous.
Morphology Leaves Petiole
Petioles up to 7 mm. long, practically glabrous when mature.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules linear, persistent.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-lamina ± oblanceolate, up to 7 cm. long and 3.2 cm. wide, shortly acuminate or rarely ± obtuse, base tapering and narrowly cuneate, practically glabrous; lateral nerves finely raised on lower surface.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels up to 2.8 cm. long, densely ferrugineously pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Outer calyx-lobes narrowly ovate, 6.5–8 mm. long, 2.5–3 mm. wide, with dense ferrugineous pubescence outside; inner lobes oblong-lanceolate, a little smaller and with paler pubescence.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla creamish to pale yellow; outer segments ± oblong-lanceolate, up to 7 mm. long; median segment ligulate, erect, 5–7 mm. long; tube up to 2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Filaments tapering and ± flattened, up to 2.5 mm. long; staminodes narrowly ovate, up to 4 mm. long, closely adjacent and ± connate at base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary densely pilose; style up to 9 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ± ovoid with short terminal rostrum, up to 4 cm. in diameter, indumentum rubbing off and skin becoming practically glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds up to 2.8 cm. in diameter, with lateral hilum and large spreading scar covering over half of surface area.
Figures
Fig. 12.
Habitat
Lowland dry evergreen forest and coastal evergreen bushlands, usually a marginal component; 0–300 (?–360) m.
Distribution
K7 T3 T6 T8 not known elsewhere
[FTEA]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/34446/9869155

Conservation
VU - vulnerable
[IUCN]

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]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • 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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/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