Psydrax obovatus (klotzsch ex Eckl. & Zeyh.) Bridson

Species

Angiosperms > Gentianales > Rubiaceae > Psydrax

Characteristics

Small tree, shrub or liana, 1.5-8.0 m high. Leaves opposite, petiolate, elliptic to obovate, coriaceous, base abruptly attenuate, apex obtuse. Stipules with a truncate to triangular base with foliaceous lobe. Flowers in pedunculate, clearly branched, umbellate cymes. Calyx: tube broadly ellipsoid; limb a truncate to dentate rim. Corolla 5-lobed, white to yellow; lobes reflexed, obtuse to acute; tube cylindrical, with a ring of deflexed hairs inside. Stamens 5, arising at corolla throat. Ovary 2-locular, 1 ovule per locule; style slender, exserted; stigmatic knob cylindrical. Flowering time Oct.-Feb. Fruit an ellipsoid drupe.
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Leaf blades 2–7 × 1.2–3.5 cm, obovate to narrowly obovate or round, or elliptic, rounded or occasionally obtuse at apex, acute or somewhat attenuated at base, coriaceous, shiny above, glabrous, the margins usually recurved; lateral nerves in 1–4 main pairs; tertiary nerves obscure or apparent; domatia pit-like or pocket-like, glabrous or sometimes pubescent; petioles 1–5 mm long, glabrous or puberulous; stipules 2–4 mm long, truncate at their base with a linear decurrent lobe, sometimes puberulous outside.
Flowers 4–5-merous, borne in 2–70-flowered pedunculate corymbs; peduncles 2–25 mm long, glabrescent to puberulous; pedicels 0.5–9 mm long, glabrous to glabrescent; bracteoles inconspicuous.
Corolla cream or white; tube 2–3.25 mm long, with a ring of deflexed hairs at the throat; lobes 2.75–4.5 × 1.5–2 mm, obtuse to acute.
Shrub or tree 2–15 m tall; young branches square in section, glabrous or puberulous; bark whitish-grey.
Fruit 5–9 × 7–8 mm, longer than wide, ± square in lateral view or wider than long, scarcely indented.
Pyrenes 5–7 × 3–4 mm, ellipsoid to flattened broadly ellipsoid, moderately to strongly rugulose.
Calyx tube 1–1.5 mm long, glabrous; limb 0.5–0.75 mm long, repand.
Pollen presenter 1.5–2 mm long; disk glabrous.
Style 5.5–8 mm long.
Anthers reflexed.
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Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Mature height (meter) 1.75 - 11.5
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Usage

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Cultivation

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Images

Psydrax obovatus unspecified picture

Distribution

Psydrax obovatus world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:915416-1
WFO ID wfo-0000288189
COL ID QNR6
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Plectronia obovata Canthium obovatum Canthium obovatum var. pyrifolium Psydrax obovatus

Lower taxons

Psydrax obovatus subsp. obovatus Psydrax obovatus subsp. elliptica