Tessmannia burttii Harms

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

Morphology General Habit

Tree to 13 m; bark grey or dark brown, smooth, cracking vertically.

Morphology Branches

Branchlets brown, soon grey, striate, glabrous.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves pinnate; stipules not seen, probably early caducous; petiole 1–4 cm long, glabrous; rachis 2.5–7 cm long, glabrous; leaflets alternate, (3)4–7, 3.5–7.5 × 1.2–2.5 cm, ovate to rhombic to elliptic, often slightly asymmetric, base somewhat asymmetrically cuneate, apex acute to acuminate, the extreme tip rounded or retuse, glabrous; venation prominulous beneath, less so above, lateral nerves joined into a submarginal nerve.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences axillary corymbose racemes, sometimes paired, the axis rufous-pubescent; bracts and bracteoles not seen, apparently early caducous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 2.5–3 cm long; pedicels up to 3 cm long, rufous-pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes 4, 10–12 mm long, one c.8 mm wide, two c.5 mm wide, one c.2.5 mm wide, elliptic to obovate, rufous-pubescent outside, densely sericeous inside except on the overlapping margins.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 5, pink, c.5 mm wide and 15–16 mm long (25–30 mm according to Harms) including a claw 5 mm long, elliptic, the dorsal petal with a thickened and grooved claw, glabrous, the rest pubescent on the midrib inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 7–10, c.25 mm long, the one opposite the dorsal petal free and almost glabrous, the rest fused and densely pubescent in the basal 5 mm; anthers dorsifixed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary c.10-ovulate, c.7 × 3 mm, obovate, densely rufous-pubescent particularly on the margins, verrucose in the centre, stipe c.4 mm long, rufous-pubescent; style c.15 mm long, pubescent in the lower third; stigma capitate, bilobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pod up to 5 × 2.5 cm, asymmetrically obovate to rhombic, rufous-pubescent and with numerous resiniferous warts, usually 1-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed c.12 × 10 mm, ovoid, somewhat flattened.

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: Zambezian forest

Morphology General Habit

Perennial, Not climbing, Tree

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

Morphology General Habit

Tree 4–12 m. high; bark smooth, grey to dark brown.

Morphology Leaves

Rhachis of leaf (together with petiole) (2–)4–10 cm. long; leaflets alternate, (2–)5–8, elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 3–9.5 cm. long, 1.2–3(–3.8) cm. wide, gradually acuminate (acumen itself obtuse or emarginate), glabrous and with fine prominent reticulate venation on both surfaces (1–2 basal lateral nerves longer, more prominent and submarginal).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence of simple axillary or lateral racemes, single or few together; axis 1–7 cm. long, brown-pubescent as are (densely so) the pedicels and outside of sepals.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 1.3–1.5 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals pink, with an apparently oblanceolate crinkled lamina.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary and stipe tomentose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Pods ± 4–5.5 cm. long, 2.5–2.8 cm. wide, densely brown-velvety-tomentose and with numerous rather small raised warts scattered over surface.

Habitat

“Riverine forest with Monopetalanthus richardsiae ”; ± 1050 m.

Distribution

T4