Adenia wilmsii Harms

Erect herb 10-30(-50) cm, without tendrils, glabrous, growing from a tuberous rootstock. Leaves ± glaucous-green, not punctate beneath, (5-)7-pseudo-foliolate, broadly ovate to suborbicular in outline, base ± cordate, 2-8(-12) x 2-6(-10) cm, 5-7-plinerved; leaflets sessile, entire to pinnately 3-7-lobed, ovate-oblong, base attenuate, apex acute, 1-6(-10) cm, the middle leaflet largest; margin entire; petiole 2-8(-10) cm. Glands at blade-base 2, on two auricles at the transition to the petiole; blade-glands (0-)4-6, situated at the very base in between the leaflets, sometimes a few submarginal. Stipules lanceolate, 1-3 mm. Inflorescences peduncled for 0.5-5 cm, 1-3-flowered in ('male'), 1(-3)-flowered in ('female'); no tendrils. Male flowers tubiform-infundibuliform, including the 4-6 mm long stipe 20-25 mm; hypanthium cup-shaped, 2-3 mm; calyx-tube 7-8 x 2-5 mm, lobes elliptic to oblong, obtuse, 6-7.5 mm, entire; petals oblanceolate, obtusish, 7-10 mm, 3-5-nerved, subentire, inserted at the same level as, or up to 3 mm above the corona; filaments 4-5.5 mm, connate for 1.5-2.5 mm, inserted on a short androgynophore; anthers 3.5-4.5 mm; septa 2-3 mm high; corona hairs 0.5-1 mm; disc-glands c. 0.5 mm. Female flowers tubiform-campanulate, including the 2-3 mm long stipe c. 12 mm; hypanthium c. 1 mm; calyx-tube 5-6 x 3-4 mm, lobes elliptic-oblong, obtuse, c. 4 mm, entire; petals oblanceolate, subobtuse, c. 6 mm, 3-nerved, subentire, inserted at the same level as the corona; staminodes c. 2.5 mm; septa c. 1 mm high; corona hairs c. 0.5 mm; disc-glands c. 0.5 mm; gynophore 1.5(-2) mm; ovary ovoid-ellipsoid, 4-4.5 mm; styles connate for 0.7 mm, style-arms c. 1 mm; stigmas subglobose, papillate, each c. 1.5 mm diam. Fruit 1 per inflorescence, ellipsoid, excluding the c. 5 mm long gynophore c. 4 x 2.5 cm; pericarp thinly coriaceous; seeds not known. Flowers and fruits Sept.-Dec.