e-Key v3 - Rawsonia
SANBI Flora Keys Logo
Interactive keys to the identification of seed plants of southern Africa using keys based on plant morphology.

Flacourtiaceae - Rawsonia Harv. & Sond.

Description :

  • Evergreen shrubs or small trees
  • Leaves alternate, shortly petioled; blade usually elliptic, coriaceous, margins spinulose-serrate; stipules apparently extant (scar present)
  • Flowers bisexual or male, in axillary spike-like racemes
  • Sepals 4 or 5, free, unequal, imbricate, concave
  • Petals similar to sepals but larger, with a petaloid scale opposite each petal with a gland on inner face at base
  • Stamens many, in several rows, inner hypogynous, outer attached to base of scales
  • Ovary superior, 1-locular, with a thick fleshy wall; ovules many on 4 or 5 parietal placentas; style almost 0; stigmas 4 or 5
  • Fruit a globose berry
  • Seeds few, subglobose: testa leathery; embryo straight; cotyledons thin, elliptic; endosperm fleshy, copious

Nomenclature:

  • Rawsonia Harv. & Sond.
    • Harvey & Sonder: 67 (1860)
    • Sim: 12 (1909)
    • Engler: 559 (1921)
    • Gilg: 394 (1925)
    • Wild: 262 (1960)
    • Bamps: 4 (1968)
    • Killick: 54 (1976)

Distribution & Notes:

  • Global : Species probably only 2, tropical and southern Africa
  • Southern Africa : Species 1: Rawsonia lucida Harv. & Sond., Botswana, Northern Province, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape

References:

  • BAMPS, P. 1968. Flacourtiaceae . Flore du Congo du Rwanda et du Burundi
  • ENGLER, A. 1921. PARIETALES- Flacourtiaceae . Die Pflanzenwelt Afrikas 3,2. W. Engelmann, Leipzig
  • GILG, E.F. 1925. Flacourtiaceae . Die natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien , edn 2, 21
  • HARVEY, W.H. & SONDER, O.W. 1860. Rawsonia Harv. & Sond. Flora capensis 1
  • KILLICK, D.J.B. 1976. Flacourtiaceae . Flora of southern Africa 22
  • SIM, T.R. 1909. In Forest flora and forest resources of Portugese East Africa . Taylor & Henderson, Aberdeen, Scotland
  • WILD, H. 1960. Flacourtiaceae (including Samydaceae ). Flora zambesiaca 1