Tragia vogelii Keay

A perennial monoecious pubescent, later glabrescent and mildly urticating herb, erect at first, then later scrambling or twining, with several stems up to ± 2 m., although generally 30–60 cm., arising from a woody stock.. Petiole 0.3–1(–2) cm. long; blade triangular-lanceolate, often narrowly so, 4.5–8.5 cm. long, 1–2(–4) cm. wide at the base, obtusely to subacutely acuminate, shallowly to moderately cordate with a wide to rounded sinus, crenate-serrate, sometimes very shallowly and remotely so in the median portion, more coarsely so at the base, firmly membranous, (5–)7(–9)-nerved from the base, lateral nerves 4–6(–8) pairs, scarcely prominent above and slightly so beneath, sparingly pubescent and setose along the midrib and main nerves above and beneath, otherwise ± glabrous.. Stipules lanceolate, sometimes narrowly so, 5 mm. long, acute, entire, pubescent on the margins, otherwise ± glabrous, spreading or reflexed.. Inflorescences leaf-opposed, 3–10 cm. long, the peduncles 0.7–6 cm. long, distally ♂ with 1–2(–4) ♀ flowers below; axis evenly pubescent and sparingly setose; ♂ bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2.5 mm. long, acute, entire, ciliolate, spreading, 1–2-flowered; bracteoles linear, 1 mm. long; ♀ bracts lanceolate, 3.5–4.5 mm. long, sharply acute, entire, pubescent on the margin, otherwise glabrous, 1-flowered; bracteoles like the ♂ bracts.. Male flowers: pedicels 1–1.5 mm. long, minutely puberulous; buds slightly compressed-subglobose, glabrous; calyx-lobes broadly ovate, 1.2 mm. long and wide, subcucullate, glabrous without and within, green; stamens 1 mm. long, filaments fairly thick, anthers 0.4 mm. across; pistillode flat, trifid, the segments perceptibly widened and truncate apically.. Female flowers: pedicels 1 mm. long, stouter than in ♂, puberulous, extending to 3–4 mm. in fruit; calyx-lobes 5–6(3–5 in W. Africa), oblong-lanceolate in outline, 3 mm. long, 2 mm. wide, accrescent to 8–9 mm. long and 4–5 mm. wide, with 6 lanceolate lobules on each side, sometimes themselves with 1–2 teeth at the base, the lobules equalling or shorter than the width of the rhachis, and a terminal lanceolate lobule, the rhachis subglabrous without, glabrous within, becoming somewhat indurated in fruit, the lobules sparingly puberulous without, and setose within and on the margins, the rhachis stramineous, the lobules greenish; ovary trilobate-subglobose, 2 mm. diameter, sparingly pubescent and setose on the keels, elsewhere ± glabrous; styles 3, 2 mm. long, united for ± half their length, the free parts suberect, the stigmatic surfaces smooth.. Fruits roundly trilobate, 4–5 mm. long, 9 mm. diameter, sparingly setose on the keels and minutely puberulous to subglabrous.. Seeds 3.5 mm. diameter, pale grey, flecked and spotted with reddish brown, with here and there circular patches fringed with dense white papillae.

In savannah, especially on rocky hillsides.