Psychotria eminiana (Kuntze) E.M.A.Petit

Species

Angiosperms > Gentianales > Rubiaceae > Psychotria

Characteristics

Subshrub or small tree, with woody or herbaceous stems 0.15–2.4(–5) m. tall from a woody rhizome; stems glabrous to densely pubescent, sparsely branched.. Leaf-blades variable, ovate, oblong, obovate or elliptic to almost round or oblate, 3–25 cm. long, 2–13 cm. wide, emarginate to acuminate at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base, glabrous to scabrid-puberulous or pubescent above, glabrous to densely pubescent beneath, often strongly discolorous, pale beneath, often with a characteristic pattern of dark veinlets beneath on drying, thin to ± coriaceous; nodules absent but domatia present; petiole 0.3–3(–3.5) cm. long, glabrous to densely pubescent; stipules triangular or ovate-triangular, 0.4–1.1 cm. long, acute to acuminate at the apex, obscurely 2-toothed, glabrous or pubescent, deciduous.. Flowers heterostylous, (4–)5(–6)-merous, in usually trichotomous or much-branched inflorescences, each panicle rather dense and many-flowered; peduncle (1–)4–13 cm. long, glabrous to densely pubescent, secondary branches 0.5–4 cm. long; pedicels obsolete or 0.5 mm. long; 2 inferior bracts sometimes developed, others and bracteoles minute.. Calyx-tube obconic, ± 1 cm. long; limb cupuliform, 0.75–1 mm. long, glabrous or pubescent with unequal triangular lobes 0.5–1.75 mm. long, acuminate.. Corolla yellow, cream or greenish yellow, glabrous or puberulous outside; tube 3.5–5 mm. long; lobes 1.7–2.5 mm. long, 1–1.2 mm. wide, thickened at the apex.. Stamens with filaments 1.5–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 0.25 mm. long in long-styled flowers.. Style 1–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 6 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma-lobes 0.5–1 mm. long.. Drupes red, with 2 pyrenes, didymously subglobose, 5–6(–7) mm. long, 7–8(–10) mm. wide, glabrous or puberulous or shortly pubescent; pyrenes subglobose, 5 mm. long and wide, 4 mm. thick, dorsal face entire, not folded.. Seeds dark brown, subglobose, 4.5 mm. long and wide, 3.5 mm. thick, ventral face flat, dorsal face not ribbed; endosperm with ventral face deeply and dorsal face slightly ruminate.
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Leaves petiolate; lamina variable, 3–25 x 2–13 cm., ovate, oblong, obovate or elliptic to almost round or oblate, emarginate to acuminate at the apex, cuneate to rounded at the base, glabrous to scabrid-puberulous or pubescent above, glabrous to densely pubescent beneath, often strongly discolorous, pale beneath, often with a characteristic pattern of dark veinlets beneath on drying, thin to ± coriaceous; nodules absent but domatia present; petiole 0.3–3(3.5) cm. long, glabrous to densely pubescent; stipules triangular or ovate-triangular, 0.4–1.1 cm. long, acute to acuminate at the apex, obscurely 2-toothed or ± awned, glabrous or pubescent, deciduous.
A shrub or small tree. It has a woody rhizome. It grows 2-4 m tall. The leaves are opposite and simple. They are velvety underneath. The leaves are oval to round and 3-25 cm long by 2-13 cm wide. There are many flowers in a group. The fruit is round, 2 lobed and fleshy. It is 5-7 mm long by 7-10 mm wide. The seeds are a flattened round shape and 4.5 mm across. They are dark brown. It is a variable plant.
Flowers heterostylous, (4)5(6)-merous, in usually trichotomous or much-branched inflorescences, each panicle rather dense and many-flowered; peduncle (1)4–13 cm. long, glabrous to densely pubescent; secondary branches 0.5–4 cm. long; pedicels obsolete or 0.5 mm. long; 2 inferior bracts sometimes developed, others and bracteoles minute.
Drupes red, with 2 pyrenes, didymously subglobose, 5–6(7) x 7–8(10) mm., glabrous or puberulous or shortly pubescent; pyrenes subglobose, 5 x 5 x 4 mm.; dorsal face entire, not folded, sometimes so coated with rhaphides as to appear silvery.
Corolla yellow, cream or greenish yellow, glabrous, puberulous or in a variety velvety-tomentose outside; tube 3.5–5 mm. long; lobes 1.7–2.5 x 1–1.2 mm. thickened at the apex.
Seeds dark brown, subglobose, 4.5 x 4.5 x 3.5 mm.; ventral face flat, dorsal face not ribbed; endosperm with ventral face deeply and dorsal face slightly ruminate.
Subshrub or small tree, with woody or herbaceous stems 0.15–2.4(5) m. tall from a woody rhizome; stems glabrous to densely pubescent, sparsely branched.
Calyx tube ± 1 cm. long, obconic; limb 0.75–1 mm. long, cupuliform, glabrous or pubescent with unequal triangular lobes 0.5–1.75 mm. long, acuminate.
Style 1–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 6 mm. long in long-styled flowers; stigma lobes 0.5–1 mm. long.
Stamens with filaments 1.5–2.5 mm. long in short-styled flowers, 0.25 mm. long in long-styled flowers.
Life form perennial
Growth form
Growth support -
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 2.0 - 2.4
Root system rhizome
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

Deciduous thicket, Brachystegia woodland and derived open bushland, usually on dry burnt ground or stony hills but sometimes riverine, at elevations from 500-1,650 metres.
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It is a tropical plant. It grows in woodland. It is usually on dry burnt ground or stony hills. It grows between 480-1,650 m altitude.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

The leaves are cooked with ashes to produce a slimy vegetable.
Uses medicinal
Edible leaves
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by seedlings.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Psychotria eminiana world distribution map, present in Angola, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Chad, Tanzania, United Republic of, and Zambia

Conservation status

Psychotria eminiana threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:761968-1
WFO ID wfo-0000285697
COL ID 4PNWJ
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Psychotria eminiana Uragoga eminiana Psychotria eminiana var. stolzii

Lower taxons

Psychotria eminiana var. eminiana