Astropanax abyssinicus (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Seem.

Araliaceae, J. R. Tennant. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1968

Morphology General Habit

An often spreading tree to 28 m. tall or an epiphyte; bark rough and fissured or smooth, grey-brown to grey-black and ± corky.

Morphology Leaves

Petioles up to 38(–42) cm. long by 5(–6.2) mm. diameter, glabrous or sparsely hairy at tip, rarely puberulous at base; leaflets 5–7, chartaceous to coriaceous, elliptic to broadly elliptic, narrowly ovate to ovate, sometimes somewhat oblong, occasionally narrowly obovate to obovate or oblanceolate, up to 27(–40) cm. long by 15(–20) cm. wide, gradually tapering to a ± truncate short- to long-acuminate or almost caudate apex, with a cordate or rounded, obtuse to cuneate base, with crenulate (rarely subentire) margins, glabrous or puberulous; petiolules up to 12.5 cm. long by 1–3 mm. diameter.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules upto 1.7 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence an umbel or a short raceme of up to 12 racemes of pedunculate umbellules; primary branches up to 41 cm. long, often not floriferous at base, arising in axils of tomentose to puberulous bracts of up to 1.5 cm. long (this relationship obscured when primary branches umbellate); peduncles of umbellules (secondary branches) (0.6–)1.3–2.1(–4.5) cm. long, arising in the axils of glabrous to puberulous ovate to ligulate bracts of from 1.5–6(–8) mm. long racemosely borne along the primaries; pedicels up to about 36 per peduncle, often less, 2–11 mm. long; floral bracts obsolete.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits vinaceous, urceolate to subspherical, up to 5 mm. long and across, sulcate, glabrous or puberulous; stylopodium 0.5–0.7 mm. long; styles 5–8, free for 0.6–1.0 mm. terminally.

Habitat

Upland rain-forest; 1840–2770 m.

Distribution

K3 K5 T4 U1 U3

Araliaceae, J. F. M. Cannon. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit

Epiphyte or tree of up to 30 m.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves digitate, with long petioles up to 42 cm.

Morphology Leaves Leaflets

Leaflets 5–7, up to 25(40) × 15(20) cm., broadly ovate or ovate-elliptic to broadly elliptic, glabrous, coriaceous to subcoriaceous, the margin serrulate to almost entire, sometimes slightly undulate, the apex usually very long-acuminate, the base varying from cordate to subtruncate or even cuneate. Petiolules 4–7(12) cm. long, lateral veins conspicuous and rather widely spaced, with an obvious reticulum of veins between them.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules conspicuous in younger leaves, ovate-acuminate, probably not persistent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 15–30(40) cm. long, with rusty tomentose bracts, the umbellules normally confined to the upper 3/4 of the axis and subtended by glabrous to floccose bracteoles. Inflorescence a group of sparsely puberulous racemes of pedunculate umbellules.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles of umbellules (0·6)1–1·5(4·5) cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels usually 5–6 per peduncle (rarely much more numerous), 2–7(11) mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Styles 5–8, short, 1–1·5 mm. long including the stylopodium, initially connate but spreading at maturity.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit urceolate to subspherical, up to 5 mm. long, usually glabrous, rarely puberulous.

Araliaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958

Morphology General Habit

A tree, to 60 ft. high

Ecology

In montane forest

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers yellowish, sweetly scented.