Rytigynia uhligii (K.Schum. & K.Krause) Verdc.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/143710754/143710756

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree 0.9–9 m. tall, ? rarely scandent, laxly branched; bark smooth, pale brown to blackish grey; stems pale chestnut-brown or purplish, longitudinally ridged, lenticellate, glabrous, the epidermis or bark wearing off to reveal pale undersurface.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly not fully developed at flowering time; blades elliptic to ovate, 1.5–11 cm. long, 0.5–4.8(–5.2) cm. wide, narrowly or abruptly acuminate at the apex, the tip usually rounded, cuneate, rounded or ± truncate at the base, glabrous save for obvious tufted domatia or rarely sparsely pubescent, ± thin, not or only slightly discolorous; petiole 2–6 mm. long; stipule-bases triangular or ovate, joined, 3–5 mm. long, densely pilose within, with ± spreading often compressed subulate appendage 1–4.5 mm. long, decurrent or sometimes completely lacking.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 1–2-flowered, rarely more; peduncle either ± suppressed or up to 6(–10) mm. long particularly in fruit; pedicels (0.2–)0.6–1.2 cm. long, often 1.5–2.3(–3) cm. long in fruit; bracts up to 1.5 mm. long.

Morphology General Buds

Buds oblong, very obtuse, the limb part characteristically much shorter than the tube.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-tube 1.2–1.5 mm. long, the limb a rim ± 0.2 mm. long, with obsolete or very small teeth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white to greenish yellow; tube mostly subglobose or urceolate-campanulate or sometimes ± cylindrical, 4.5–5.5 mm. long, with a ring of deflexed hairs inside; the limb usually ± closed; lobes mostly green, ovate, 2 mm. long, 1.5 mm. wide, acute but not appendaged.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary (2–)3–5-locular; style swollen at the base; stigmatic club just exserted or exserted up to 2.5 mm., 2–5-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit blue-black, globose, (7–)9–10(–? 13 in life) mm. diameter, containing 1–5 pyrenes 6–7 × 3–4 mm.

Figures

Fig. 132/11, p. 754.

Habitat

Montane evergreen forest, particularly with Zanthoxylum, Olea, Casearia, Diospyros abyssinica, Maesa, Neoboutonia, Allophylus, Celtis, and derived grassland with scattered trees or thickets, sometimes riverine; (950–)1000–2250 m.

Distribution

K1 K4 K6 K7 T2 T3 T5 T6 T7 T8

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or tree 0.9–9 m tall, rarely scandent(?), laxly branched; bark smooth, pale brown to blackish-grey.

Morphology Stem

Stems pale chestnut-brown or purplish, longitudinally ridged, lenticellate, glabrous, the epidermis or bark wearing off to reveal pale undersurface.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly not fully developed at flowering time, 1.5–11 × 0.5–4.8(5.2) cm, elliptic to ovate, narrowly or abruptly acuminate at the apex, the tip usually rounded, cuneate, rounded or ± truncate at the base, glabrous save for obvious tufted domatia, or rarely sparsely pubescent, ± thin, not or only slightly discolorous; petiole 2–6 mm long; stipule bases 3–5 mm long, triangular or ovate, joined, densely pilose within, with a ± spreading often compressed subulate appendage 1–4.5 mm long, decurrent or sometimes completely lacking.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 1–2-flowered, rarely more; peduncle either ± suppressed or up to 6(10) mm long particularly in fruit; pedicels (2)6–12 mm long, often 15–23(30) mm long in fruit; bracts up to 1.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 1.2–1.5 mm long, the limb a rim about 0.2 mm long with obsolete or very small teeth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla oblong, very obtuse in bud, the limb part characteristically much shorter than the tube; white to greenish-yellow; the limb usually remains ± closed; tube 4.5–5.5 mm long, mostly subglobose or urceolate-campanulate or sometimes ± cylindrical, with a ring of deflexed hairs inside; lobes mostly green, 2 × 1.5 mm, ovate, acute but not appendaged.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary (2)3–5-locular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style swollen at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter just exserted or exserted up to 2.5 mm, 2–5-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit blue-black, (7)9–10(?13 in life) mm in diameter, globose, containing 1–5 pyrenes; pyrenes 6–7 × 3–4 mm.