e-Key v3 - Conostomium
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Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Rubiaceae - Rubioideae - Hedyotideae - Conostomium (Stapf) Cufod.

Description :

  • Erect, perennial herbs or subshrubs, usually with quadrangular branches
  • Leaves opposite, sessile, linear to lanceolate; stipule sheath truncate, bearing hairs and colleters or 2-several teeth
  • Flowers never truly heterostylous; in terminal, fasciculate corymbs
  • Calyx 4-partite; segments linear-subulate
  • Corolla 4-lobed, white, mauve or purple; throat and lobes glabrous within or sparsely pilose; tube long, narrowly cylindric below and slightly expanded above
  • Stamens with anthers sessile or subsessile, included or only tips exserted
  • Ovary 2-locular, with many ovules in each locule, attached to shortly stalked, shield-like placentas; style glabrous or papillose, usually exserted; stigmas linear-oblong, densely papillate
  • Fruit an ovoid or subglobose capsule, crowned by persistent calyx, beak present
  • Seeds many, angular, smooth
  • x = 9 (1 report, aneuploids)

Nomenclature:

  • Conostomium (Stapf) Cufod.
    • Cufodontis: 85 (1948)
    • Bremekamp: 125 (1952)
    • Verdcourt: 242 (1976)
    • Verdcourt: 101 (1989)
  • Oldenlandia L. sect. Conostomium Stapf
    • Stapf: 517 (1906)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species 9, tropical East Africa
  • Southern Africa : Species 2: Conostomium natalense (Hochst.) Bremek., Northern Province, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape; and C. zoutpansbergense (Bremek.) Bremek., Northern Province

References:

  • BREMEKAMP. C.E.B. 1952. The African Oldenlandieae s.l. Verhandelingen der Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen, afdeling Natuurkunde , sect. 2. 48, 2
  • CUFODONTIS, G. 1948. Conostomium . Nuovo Giornale Botanico Italiano 55
  • STAPF, O. 1906. Plantae novae Daweanae in Uganda lectae. Journal of the Linnean Society, Botany 37
  • VERDCOURT, B. 1976. Flora of tropical East Africa . Rubiaceae (part 1)
  • VERDCOURT, B. 1989. Rubiaceae . Flora zambesiaca 5,1