Ardisiandra sibthorpioides Hook.f.

Primulaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit

Creeping perennial herb.

Morphology General Indumentum

All vegetative parts pilose; hairs as in A. wettsteinii.

Morphology Stem

Stems up to 1 m. long or more, reddish, partly prostrate and rooting at and between nodes, partly ascending to erect and very leafy.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles (0·5)1·5–3(4) cm. long, slender.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf–lamina up to 4 cm. in diameter, broadly ovate or orbicular, cordate at base, crenately 5–9–lobed, the lobes coarsely toothed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 1–3(5)–flowered, flowers drooping; peduncles 0–3 mm. long; pedicels 5–8 mm. long, each with a subtending lanceolate bract c. 2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx–segments ± equalling corolla, ovate–lanceolate, the margins overlapping at the base, pilose, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 3–5 mm. long, campanulate, white, glabrous, deeply divided into rounded–triangular lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens c. 1–7 mm. long; anthers c. 1–2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary hemispherical, pilose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule c. 3 mm. in diameter, globose, transparent–walled at the base, opaque, creamy–white and cartilaginous at the apex, here dehiscing into 5 recurving teeth.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 0–8–1 mm. long, numerous, ± tetrahedral, blackish, granular.

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

Primulaceae, P. Taylor. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1958

Morphology General Habit

Stems slender, prostrate, up to 80 cm. long, rooting at the nodes; inter-nodes 5–30 mm. long.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves numerous; petiole slender, pubescent, 5–40 mm. long; lamina broadly ovate or orbicular, up to 40 × 40 mm., sparsely pubescent on both surfaces, subacute, basally cordate, 5–7-crenate, the crenations coarsely dentate and the teeth short, broad, acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes 1–3(5)-flowered; axes very short; peduncles very short or obsolete, arising at intervals along the stem near the leaf-bases; pedicels filiform, 5–8 mm. long; bracts linear-lanceolate, about 3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx-segments lanceolate to broadly ovate-deltoid, basally rounded, hastate or cordate, acute, ciliate, almost as long as the corolla at anthesis, accrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white, 3–5 mm. long; lobes 1–2 mm. long, rounded at apex, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments about 0.5 mm. long; anthers about 1.2 mm. long, rounded or cordate at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule globose, sparsely pubescent, about 3 mm. in diameter, dehiscing by 5 thickened cartilaginous valves.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3-angled, minutely papillose, 0.8–1.0 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 1/12, 13.

Habitat

Lowland rain-forest, upland dry evergreen forest and upland evergreen bushland, in rocky places and by streams; 900–2670 m.

Distribution

K3 T3 T6 U2