Ochna katangensis De Wild.

Species

Angiosperms > Malpighiales > Ochnaceae > Ochna

Characteristics

Pyrophytic subshrub 15–25(–45) cm tall but sometimes flowering at ground level, sometimes forming cushions from a many-headed woody rootstock; bark grey-brown, ± smooth or rough.. Leaves narrowly elliptic, narrowly oblanceolate or narrowly oblong, (3–)4–12 cm long, 0.9–2.8 cm wide, narrowly rounded to acute at the apex, narrowly cuneate at the base, serrate with close curved teeth; lateral veins 12–20, prominent on both surfaces with very close reticulate or partly subparallel tertiary venation between, sometimes reddish; petiole 2 mm long; stipules linear-triangular, 3–7 mm long, entire or ± divided, deciduous.. Flowers solitary or 2–5 in umbellate or shortly racemose inflorescences axillary on second-year growths; pedicels 1.5–4 cm long, articulated at or near base.. Sepals elliptic or ± round, 5–8(–10) mm long, 2–3 mm wide, becoming red and up to 15x8 mm in fruit.. Petals yellow or orange-yellow, obovate, (8–)12–13(–20) mm long, (4–)7–8(–13) mm wide.. Anthers straight, 1.8–3 mm long, 1/3–2/3 as long as the filaments, dehiscing by longitudinal slits.. Carpels 5; styles completely united or rarely free at apex; stigma 5-lobed or globose, rarely 5 separate.. Drupelets black, subglobose, 5–8(–10) mm diameter, inserted near the base, strongly wrinkled in dry state.. Fig 4 (p. 30).
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Leaves petiolate, rarely somewhat glaucous; lamina (3·2) 4·2–11 (12) × 0·9–2·2 (2·8) cm., narrowly elliptic or narrowly oblanceolate to linear-oblong, ± acute and shortly apiculate at the apex, with margin usually rather remotely curved-spinose-serrate, narrowly cuneate at the base, chartaceous, with main lateral nerves (especially the basal ones) ascending gradually to the margin and the ± densely reticulate reddish tertiary venation equally prominent on both sides or less prominent below; petiole c. 2 mm. long, rather stout; stipules c. 3–7 mm. long, linear-triangular, entire or ± divided, usually tardily deciduous.
A small shrub. It grows 15 cm high. It can flower at ground level. It forms low cushions from a woody rhizome or underground stem. The leaves are 4-11 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They are narrowly oval. The edges are curved and have teeth. The flowers can be single or in groups of 2-5 in the axils of second year shoots. They are orange-yellow. The fruit are fleshy and 6-7 mm long by 5-6 mm wide.
Shrublet up to c. 15 cm. high, but sometimes flowering at ground level, usually forming low cushions from a polycephalous woody rhizome with ± smooth or gnarled brown bark; branches brown, densely pustulose-lenticellate.
Flowers solitary or 2–5 in an umbellate or shortly racemose inflorescence, axillary on second-year shoots; pedicels 1·5–3·3 cm. long in fruit, articulated at (or the terminal one rarely up to 2 mm. above) the base.
Sepals 5–8 (10) mm. long in flower, elliptic, rounded, becoming carmine, 1·1–1·5 mm. long, ± convex and erect or ± spreading in fruit.
Drupelets 6–6·5 (10) × 5–5·5 (7) mm., subglobose (rarely flattened-obovoid), inserted near the base; embryo slightly curved.
Stamens with anthers (1·75) 2–3 mm. long, 1/3–2/3 as long as the filaments, straight, dehiscing by longitudinal slits.
Carpels 5, with styles completely united and 5-lobed or globose stigma (rarely with free apices and separate stigmas).
Petals bright yellow to orange-yellow, 12–13 (20) × 7–8 (13) mm., obovate and unguiculate.
Life form -
Growth form shrub
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Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Mature height (meter) 0.15
Root system rhizome
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Environment

A tropical plant. It grows in grassland and woodland that is subject to burning. It grows between 1,500-2,150 m altitude.
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Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

Uses -
Edible fruits
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Cultivation

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Distribution

Ochna katangensis world distribution map, present in Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, United Republic of, and Zambia

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:606659-1
WFO ID wfo-0000389184
COL ID 48D66
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Campylochnella katangensis Ochna katangensis Ochnella humilis Ochna hockii