Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redh.

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology General Habit

Tree up to 10 m with a spreading crown, or occasionally flowering as a shrub.

Morphology Branches

Young branches with rusty-brown tomentum, somewhat glabrescent later.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves: petiole 2–5(7) cm; lamina up to 16 cm from base of midrib to tip of lobes, lobed for ⅛–⅓ of its length, the angle between the lobes slightly less than to slightly more than 90°, usually strongly cordate at the base, the lobes rounded to acutely pointed, glabrous above, with rusty-brown crisped hairs beneath, the lower surface with a conspicuously prominent finely reticulate venation.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Dioecious, inflorescences of male trees forming very narrowly pyramidal panicles up to 20 × 5.5 cm; those of female trees forming short few-flowered panicles up to 7 cm long; axes and pedicels brown-tomentellous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 0.8–1.5 cm long, brown-tomentellous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals white to lilac or pink, 1.1–2 cm long, obovate, the margins strongly undulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 10(11), scarcely reaching the throat of the flower.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary brown-tomentose; style very short or absent; stigma capitate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods woody, 12–30(37) × 3–6.5 cm, varying from 2 to 10 times as long as broad, oblong to linear oblong, brown-pubescent when young but later glabrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds dark brown to blackish, 7–9 × 5–7 × 3–4 mm, obovoid to ellipsoid, compressed.

Leguminosae, J. B. Gillett, R. M. Polhill & B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1971

Morphology General Habit

Tree (2–)3–10 m. high, occasionally shrubby.

Morphology General Bark

Bark rough, dark brown to grey or black.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets rusty-tomentellous or shortly rusty-tomentose when young.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly 5–17 cm. long and 6–19 cm. wide, bilobed about one-eighth to one-third way down, densely reticulate and rusty-puberulous or -pubescent beneath.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Panicles usually alternately leaf-opposed and axillary along branches, the ♂ ones 5–19 cm. long, the ♀ 2–7 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers white to pinkish.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx rusty-tomentose or -tomentellous, 1.3–2.3 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals obovate, 1.4–2.6 cm. long, rugose or bullate, hairy on basal claw and outside of limb.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods stipitate, woody, oblong or linear-oblong, mostly 13–26(–37) cm. long and 3–6.3 cm. wide.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds obovoid to ellipsoid, somewhat compressed, dark brown to blackish, ± 7–9 mm. long, 5–7 mm. wide and 3–4 mm. thick.

Figures

Fig. 46.

Habitat

Woodland, wooded grassland, bushland; near sea-level to 1830 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 P T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 widespread in tropical Africa from Senegal to the Sudan Republic and southwards to South West Africa and the Transvaal

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation

Not Threatened

Ecology

Africa: Sudanian woodland, Somalia-Masai wooded grasslands., Zanzibar-Inhambane regional transitional zone; wooded grassland, Guineo-Congolian transition woodland, Zambezian woodland, Guinea-Congolia/Zambezia regional transition zone; transition woodland.

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Shrub/Tree