Ceropegia gilgiana Werderm.

Goyder, D. J., Gilbert, M. G. & Venter, H. J. T. (2020). Apocynaceae (part 2). In: M. A. García (ed.), Flora Zambesiaca, Vol. 7(3). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Type

Tanzania, Tabora: Unyamwezi, km. 991.6, E of Kombe, Peter 35763 (B† holotype); Ufipa, Sumbawanga, 30.i.1950, Bullock 2363 (K000305485 neotype), designated by Huber in Mem. Soc. Brot. 12: 150 (1958).

Morphology Roots

Roots clustered, fleshy, fusiform, to 11 cm long, c.5 mm thick

Vegetative Multiplication Tubers

Tuber absent

Morphology Stem

Stem erect, solitary, herbaceous, to 30 cm tall, uniformly minutely pubescent or with 1 or 2 lines of hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves herbaceous, sometimes subsessile; petiole to 2 mm long, densely pubescent; leaf blade linear (to narrowly lanceolate), 10–60 × 3–9 mm, base cuneate, apex acute, both surfaces puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence from middle and upper nodes, extra-axillary; sessile, cyme (1)2-flowered, flowers opening in succession

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicel 3–5(10) mm long, pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals linear-lanceolate, 4–5 × c.1 mm, ± straight, shortly puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla (25)55–65(75) mm long, straight, very slender, tube (20)35–40 mm long, basal chamber ovoid to subglobose, 5(8) × 4–5 mm wide, limb gradually narrowed to neck, 1–1.5 mm wide, then widening very gradually to 2–3(4) mm wide at mouth; exterior minutely puberulent, interior glabrous; sinuses acute, flat; lobes linear to filiform, 20–40 mm long, revolute, apices connate to form narrowly cylindrical cage about as wide as mouth, abaxially pubescent, adaxially sparsely pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona shortly stipitate; outer lobes each forming a shallow pocket at base, divided for ½ length, teeth rounded, margins vaguely papillate; inner lobes erect, converging over gynostegium, ± spathulate, c.2.5 mm long, dorsiventrally compressed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia bright yellow

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Immature follicles acutely divergent, relatively thick.

Distribution

Zambia. Also known from Tanzania

Ecology

“Red clay at edge of swamp”; 1400 m. Unusual for its preference for wet habitats.

Conservation

Known only from the one collection in the Flora area but fairly widely distributed in southern Tanzania.

Apocynaceae (part 2), David Goyder, Timothy Harris, Siro Masinde, Ulrich Meve, Johan Venter. Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2012

Morphology General Habit

Herbaceous leafy herb, with a solitary erect stem to 30 cm high.

Morphology General Exudate

Latex clear.

Morphology Roots

Root system a cluster of whitish fusiform roots ± 110 × 5 mm.

Morphology Stem

Stem herbaceous, mostly with 1 or 2 rows of hairs, sometimes minutely uniformly pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves herbaceous, subsessile or petiole to 2 mm long; lamina lanceolate to linearlanceolate, 10–60 × 3–9 mm, base cuneate, apex acute, both surfaces densely minutely pubescent with whitish-translucent hairs, margins finely ciliate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a sessile umbellate cyme, stems richly flowered with flowers usually arising from middle to uppermost nodes, nodes 1–2-flowered, flowers opening consecutively, scent unknown.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts subulate, 2–3 × 0.5 mm, minutely pubescent beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 3–10 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals lanceolate or subulate, 4–5 × 1 mm, abaxially minutely pubescent or subglabrous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 25–75 mm long; tube 20–40 mm long, in basal 1/5 with a small ovoid inflation ± 8 × 5 mm, narrowing into a long ascending cylindrical part 1–1.5 mm diameter, dilated in throat to 3–4 mm diameter; exterior green or yellowish, minutely pilose; interior probably greenish to yellowish, glabrous throughout including inflation; lobes filiform from narrowly deltoid bases, 20–40 × ± 0.5 mm, often ± equal to tube in length, adaxially greenish or yellowish, glabrous; abaxially minutely puberulent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona shortly stipitate, ± 3.5 × 2 mm, basally shallowly cupular, whitish-translucent; outer lobes form 5 shallow pouches ± 1 × 0.5 mm, in ± apical half bifid, teeth ± 0.4 mm long with rounded apices and appearing to arise as shoulders from the bases of inner lobes, glabrous except for the margins which are vaguely papillate; inner lobes connivent-erect, dorsiventrally compressed, ± spatulate, ± 2.5 × 0.4 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers subquadrate and overtopping the ± flattened stylar head.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia bright yellow, ± 0.29 × 0.22 mm; corpusculum ± obovate, ± 0.14 × 0.05 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Follicles (immature) paired, divergent at an acute angle, relatively thick and stout.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed unknown.

Ecology

Wooded grassland and miombo woodland in and around seasonal pools; 750–1900 m

Note

This is among the few Ceropegia species which are adapted to wetland habitats. It is frequently found growing in water at edges of seasonal ponds in the savannahs. The species seems to survive the frequent fires in the grasslands as an underground rootstock with fleshy roots and puts on new growth in the wet season when there is plenty of water and less disturbance from fire or grazers. It is related to C. filipendula, C. umbraticola and probably also to C. achtenii.

Distribution

Flora districts: T4 T5 T7 Range: Zambia