Description: Small growing
caudiciform perennial herb producing trailing, vining shoots.
Caudex (Tuber): Big mostly spherical ± flattened, almost always
unbranched, smooth, above-ground. It might grow to 30 centimetres or
more
Stems: The stems (vines) are numerous, deciduous, semi-erect,
shrubby or partially climbing up to 45 centimetres (usually less),
scarcely pubescent.
Leaves: In well-spaced pairs; petiole 2-3 mm long, blades linear-lanceolate
to obovate, widest about middle, tapering equally to both ends, pointed,
up to 5 cm long X 1-1,5 cm wide, usually smaller. Acute, basally
tappering, margins ciliate, lower lamina face pubescent.
Flowers: Inflorescences lateral, almost from each node, sometimes
also between upper leaf-axils, on short stout stalk, densely
many-flowered, ±
globular. The flowers are deciduous, pale green star-shaped with a
purple centre, Ø
9 mm. Peduncle 1-2 mm long. Corolla lobes reflexed, narrowly triangular,
about 5 mm long, densely hairy below, hairless above.
Blooming season: Summer.
Fruit: Solitary, thickly fusiform,
glabrous.fruit-halves slender, up to 15 cm long x 5 mm diam, tapering to
long point, often only one half developing.
This species is closely
related and form a complex to R. galpinii, R. velutina
and R. zeyheri. the contrastingly bicoloured corona is
significant for R. burkei.
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