Xysmalobium undulatum (L.) W.T.Aiton

Species

Angiosperms > Gentianales > Apocynaceae > Xysmalobium

Characteristics

Perennial, geophytic herb, 0.5-1.2 m high; stems solitary, stout at base. Leaves hirsute, leathery, oblong to ovate, 80-180 x 10-90 mm, base rounded or cuneate, apex acute. Inflorescences terminal and axillary, globose, 115-150 mm in diam., 10-20-flowered. Corolla creamy white; lobes erect, papillate-hairy, oblong, 4-9 x 3.0-4.5 mm. Staminal column 4.5-6.5 mm high. Corona solid, fleshy, scale-like, white tinged purple, obovate/subquadrate, 2.0-3.5 mm high, 3-5 mm wide. Style-stigma-head obtriangular and truncate. Anthers semicircular. Flowering time Nov.-Jan. Follicle solitary, stalk recurved, obliquely ovoid, inflated, 83-110 x 35-50 mm, echinate/long hairy.
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A herb. It has a stout single stem. It is erect and 1.8 m high. It has a milky latex when damaged. It is densely leafy. The leaves have short stalks. The leaf blade in oblong but broader at the base. The edges are wavy. They are 15 cm long by 5 cm wide. The flowers are in groups on the sides of the plant. They are pale yellow or greenish. They have erect lobes and white hairs at the tip. The fruit are leathery and flattened. They are 13 cm long by 4 cm wide. They have wavy hairs 2 cm long. The fruit can occur singly or in pairs.
Perennial herb, 0.9-1.5 m high. Leaves 4-14 times as long as broad, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, margins undulate; pubescent. Umbels pedunculate, lateral and terminal. Corolla lobes erect or suberect, pubescent outside; densely white-pubescent at recurved tips on inner face. Flowers dull green; corona dull white, tinged with purple.
Sturdy, erect, leafy perennial, 0.5-1.8 m; sap milky. Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, somewhat leathery, slightly undulate on margins. Flowers greenish, petals with tips recurved and densely white-pubescent inside.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 0.7 - 1.5
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
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Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

A tropical plant. It often grows on flooded grassland. In southern Africa it grows between 80-2,000 m altitude. It can grow in arid places.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-9

Usage

The young leaves are eaten. They can be eaten raw or used as a vegetable and for flavouring. Caution: The roots contain a toxic chemical that can affect the heart.
Uses food gene source material medicinal poison social use vertebrate poison
Edible leaves
Therapeutic use Potherb (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Xysmalobium undulatum unspecified picture

Distribution

Xysmalobium undulatum world distribution map, present in South Africa

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:103155-1
WFO ID wfo-0000429065
COL ID 5CQ3H
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Asclepias undulata Xysmalobium undulatum Gomphocarpus undulatus

Lower taxons

Xysmalobium undulatum var. undulatum