Tragia incisifolia Prain

Euphorbiaceae, A. Radcliffe-Smith. Flora Zambesiaca 9:4. 1996

Morphology General Habit

An erect sparingly branched urticating perennial herb to c. 30(40) cm tall, monoecious; stems few from a slender woody rootstock, pubescent.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 2–3 mm long, linear-lanceolate, ciliate, otherwise glabrous, becoming reflexed.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole up to 12 mm long, or leaves subsessile.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf blade 1–5 × 0.5–2 cm, ovate to lanceolate in outline, acute at the apex, deeply incised-dentate or laciniate, cuneate to rounded or truncate at the base, thinly chartaceous, 3–5(7)-nerved from the base, sparingly setose along the midrib and main nerves on both surfaces, otherwise usually subglabrous; lateral nerves in 2–4 pairs, slightly prominent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences up to 9 cm long, the peduncle up to 5 cm long, terminal or leaf-opposed, bisexual with 1–4 female flowers at the base; male bracts and female bracteoles resembling the stipules; male bracteoles 1 mm long, linear; female bracts 3 mm long, lanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Male flowers: pedicels 1 mm long; buds obovoid; calyx lobes 1.5 × 0.5–1 mm, lanceolate to broadly ovate, glabrous, yellowish-green; stamens c. 1 mm long; pistillode 3-lobed. Female flowers: pedicels c. 1.5 mm long, scarcely extending in fruit, very stout, densely pubescent; calyx lobes 6, biseriate, 3 × 2 mm, accrescent to 4–5 × 3–4 mm, each lobe (7)9–13 lobulate, the lobules linear and equalling or exceeding the width of the calyx-lobe rhachis, setose, green, the calyx-lobe rhachis ± triangular-lanceolate, ± glabrous, becoming hardened, stramineous; ovary 1.5–2 mm in diameter, 3-lobed, densely setose on the keels, otherwise ± glabrous; styles 3, c. 2 mm long, connate at the base, glabrous, stigmas shallowly papillose, recurved at the tips.

sex Male

Male flowers: pedicels 1 mm long; buds obovoid; calyx lobes 1.5 × 0.5–1 mm, lanceolate to broadly ovate, glabrous, yellowish-green; stamens c. 1 mm long; pistillode 3-lobed.

sex Female

Female flowers: pedicels c. 1.5 mm long, scarcely extending in fruit, very stout, densely pubescent; calyx lobes 6, biseriate, 3 × 2 mm, accrescent to 4–5 × 3–4 mm, each lobe (7)9–13 lobulate, the lobules linear and equalling or exceeding the width of the calyx-lobe rhachis, setose, green, the calyx-lobe rhachis ± triangular-lanceolate, ± glabrous, becoming hardened, stramineous; ovary 1.5–2 mm in diameter, 3-lobed, densely setose on the keels, otherwise ± glabrous; styles 3, c. 2 mm long, connate at the base, glabrous, stigmas shallowly papillose, recurved at the tips.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 5 × 8 mm, 3-lobed, the keels slightly shouldered, smooth, setose on the keels, otherwise ± glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3.5–4 mm in diameter, subglobose, pale grey, flecked with light brown and with scattered circular patches of white papillae.