Gomphocarpus physocarpus E.Mey.

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 950 - 2180 m.; Andes, Valle del Cauca.

Morphology General Habit

Subarbusto

Asclepiadaceae, A. A. Bullock. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

A perennial herb up to 6 ft. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Cream flowers

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Bladder-like fruits

Ecology

In upland seasonal swamp grassland.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 950–2180 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Nariño, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Subshrub.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.

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

South Africa, by stream near Glenfilling, alt. 500 ft, Drèges.n. (K herb. Benth. lectotype, BM, E, K, TCD), designated by Goyder in Kew Bull. 53: 418 (1998).

Morphology General Habit

Shrubby perennial herb to 2.5 m tall arising from a tap root; stems generally single, branching above, woody below, upper parts pubescent with spreading white hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves generally paired, but occasionally subopposite or crowded into pseudowhorls; petiole 3–12 mm long; lamina 4–9(12) × 0.5–1.5(2) cm, narrowly oblong to lanceolate, apex acute, base cuneate, margins smooth, subglabrous or sparsely pubescent with soft white hairs, particularly on the midrib and margins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences extra-axillary with 5–12 flowers in a nodding umbel, peduncles 1.5– 3.5 cm long, ascending, densely spreading-pubescent to tomentose; bracts deciduous; pedicels (1)1.5–2(3) cm long, densely pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 3–4 × 1 mm, narrowly triangular-attenuate, pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla strongly reflexed, white, glabrous outside, minutely papillate and with long white hairs along the right margin within; lobes 5–8 × 3–4.5 mm, ovate, subacute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona lobes attached 1.5–2 mm above base of staminal column, laterally compressed, complicate, 2–3 × 1.5– 2(2.5) mm, as tall as the column, quadrate, with a short erect to slightly recurved tooth c.0.5 mm long on the proximal upper margin, cavity of the lobe lacking any form of tooth, white, frequently tinged with pink or purple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anther wings 1.8–2 mm long, margins very slightly sinuous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Stylar head flat

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruiting pedicel contorted; follicle to 4–7 cm in diam., globose or subglobose, slightly depressed on one side, not beaked but occasionally somewhat angled apically, strongly inflated, pubescent, densely covered with filiform processes to c.1 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c.4.5 × 2 mm, ovate with one convex and one concave face, verrucose; coma c.3 cm long.

Distribution

Zimbabwe, Mozambique. Native to South Africa, Eswatini and southern Mozambique. Almost certainly introduced elsewhere in Africa. The species is certainly not native elsewhere in the world.

Ecology

Common in seasonally wet pastures and flood plains, also occurring in disturbed areas.

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

Morphology General Habit

Shrubby perennial herb to 2.5 m tall arising from a tap root.

Morphology Stem

Stems generally single, branching above, woody below, upper parts pubescent with spreading white hairs

Morphology Leaves

Leaves generally opposite, but occasionally subopposite or crowded into pseudowhorls; petiole 3–12 mm long; lamina narrowly oblong to lanceolate, 4–9(–12) × 0.5–1.5(–2) cm, apex acute, base cuneate, margins smooth, subglabrous or sparsely pubescent with soft white hairs, particularly on the midrib and margins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences extra-axillary with 5–12 flowers in a nodding umbel.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncles ascending, 1.5–3.5 cm long, densely spreading-pubescent to tomentose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts deciduous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals narrowly triangular-attenuate, 3–4 × 1 mm, pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla strongly reflexed, white, glabrous outside, minutely papillate and with long white hairs along the right margin within; lobes ovate, 5–8 × 3–4.5 mm, subacute

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corona

Corona lobes attached 1.5–2 mm above base of staminal column, quadrate, 2–3 × 1.5–2(–2.5) mm, laterally compressed, complicate, as tall as the column, with a short erect to slightly recurved tooth ± 0.5 mm long on the proximal upper margin, cavity of the lobe lacking any form of tooth, white, frequently tinged with pink or purple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anther wings 1.8–2 mm long, margins very slightly sinuous; corpusculum black, ovoid-subcylindrical with lateral translucent flanges, 0.4 × 0.15 mm; translator arms ± 0.3 mm, flattened and geniculate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollinia

Pollinia oblanceolate in outline, ± 1.6 × 0.4 mm, flattened

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Stylar head flat

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Fruiting pedicel contorted. Pedicels (1–)1.5–2(–3) cm long, densely pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Follicle globose or subglobose, to 4–7 cm in diameter, slightly depressed on one side, not beaked but occasionally somewhat angled apically, strongly inflated, pubescent, densely covered with filiform processes to ± 1 cm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovate, ± 4.5 × 2 mm, with one convex and one concave face, verrucose; coma ± 3 cm long

Figures

Figs. 103/2 & 104/2, pp 424 & 425

Ecology

Common in seasonally wet pastures and flood plains, also occuring in disturbed areas; 1500–3000 m

Note

This species is very closely allied to G. semilunatus and G. kaessneri, sharing the characteristic growth form of a principal upright stem and many side shoots rather than the more bushy habit of the G. fruticosus group. The G. physocarpus group also has similar preferences for seasonally flooded meadows. The species of this group can generally be distinguished by the form of the corona, as shown in the key and Fig. 103/2–4. The calyx of G. physocarpus is also much shorter than in G. semilunatus. In Kenya and Tanzania G. physocarpus appears to occur in drier spots (e.g. road verges) than G. semilunatus, and is a shorter, more stiffly branched plant . The corona and branching pattern are as in South Africa. The follicle tends to be more beaked than in typical (South African) material and may be of partially hybrid origin with G. fruticosus, as also appears to be the case in Australia where Forster (1996) reports hybrid swarms between these two species.

Distribution

Range: Native to South Africa, Swaziland and southern Mozambique, almost certainly introduced elsewhere in Africa. The species is certainly not native elsewhere in the world. Flora districts: U2 K3 K4 K5 K6 T2

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