Erythrococca menyharthii (Pax) Prain

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/146449314/208446126

Conservation

LC - least concern

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

Morphology General Habit

A straggly subshrub 0.5–3 m tall with a loose, open crown.

Morphology Branches

Branches not usually exceeding 4 cm in diameter at the base.

Morphology General Bark

Bark pale grey, smooth, flaking.

Morphology General Wood

Wood soft.

Morphology Twigs

Twigs pale grey, white-lenticellate.

Morphology General Indumentum

Young growth softly puberulous or pilose.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petioles 1–6 mm long.

Morphology Leaves Leaf lamina

Leaf blades 2–10 × 1–6 cm, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic-ovate, acutely to obtusely acuminate at the apex, subentire to coarsely and usually remotely serrate-dentate on the margin, cuneate, rounded or truncate at the base usually with 2–4 subulate stipelliform glands at or near the base, membranous at first, later thinly chartaceous, sparingly softly pubescent on upper surface, especially on the midrib and main nerves, more evenly so beneath, yellowish-green; lateral nerves in 4–5 pairs, ascending, looped or not, not prominent.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules 1–2.5 mm long, subulate-filiform, not or scarcely aculeate and hardened, yellowish-brown.

sex Male

Male flowers: pedicels slender, flexuous, lengthening to c. 5 mm at anthesis, sparingly pubescent; buds 1 mm in diameter, ovoid-conic, apiculate, evenly pubescent; calyx lobes 4–5, 1–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute, pale yellowish-green, translucent; extrastaminal disk of 8–9 unequal free or irregularly-fused glands, glabrous or with 1–2 hairs each; interstaminal glands (0)1–2, rarely more, subglobose to subclavate; stamens 2–3(5), rarely more, subsessile, anthers less than 0.5 mm across. Male inflorescences 1–5 cm long, with the peduncle up to 2 cm long, interruptedly racemose to subglomerulate; bracts 0.5 mm long, triangular-ovate, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Female inflorescences 1–3 cm long, with the peduncle up to 2.5 cm long, simply racemose, few-flowered. Male inflorescences 1–5 cm long, with the peduncle up to 2 cm long, interruptedly racemose to subglomerulate; bracts 0.5 mm long, triangular-ovate, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers: pedicels 1–2 mm long, pubescent; calyx lobes 3(4), 1–1.5 × 1–1.2 mm, suborbicular-ovate, subacute or obtuse, sparingly pubescent without, glabrous within, pale green; disk glands 3, 0.5 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, obtuse, glabrous; ovary 1 mm in diameter, 3-lobed, evenly puberulous; styles 3, c. 1 mm long, united only at the base, spreading or recurved, stigmas laciniate. Male flowers: pedicels slender, flexuous, lengthening to c. 5 mm at anthesis, sparingly pubescent; buds 1 mm in diameter, ovoid-conic, apiculate, evenly pubescent; calyx lobes 4–5, 1–1.2 × 0.5–0.8 mm, ovate-lanceolate, acute, pale yellowish-green, translucent; extrastaminal disk of 8–9 unequal free or irregularly-fused glands, glabrous or with 1–2 hairs each; interstaminal glands (0)1–2, rarely more, subglobose to subclavate; stamens 2–3(5), rarely more, subsessile, anthers less than 0.5 mm across.

sex Female

Female flowers: pedicels 1–2 mm long, pubescent; calyx lobes 3(4), 1–1.5 × 1–1.2 mm, suborbicular-ovate, subacute or obtuse, sparingly pubescent without, glabrous within, pale green; disk glands 3, 0.5 mm long, triangular-lanceolate, obtuse, glabrous; ovary 1 mm in diameter, 3-lobed, evenly puberulous; styles 3, c. 1 mm long, united only at the base, spreading or recurved, stigmas laciniate. Female inflorescences 1–3 cm long, with the peduncle up to 2.5 cm long, simply racemose, few-flowered.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit 4 × 9 mm, generally tricoccous, rarely di- or monococcous by abortion, sparingly pubescent, rarely subglabrous, pale green at first, darker later.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 3–4 mm in diameter, reticulate, aril reddish-orange.

Euphorbiaceae, A. R.-Smith. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1987

Morphology General Habit

A shrub (1–)1.5–3 m. tall.

Morphology General Bark

Bark light grey, shallowly fissured.

Morphology Twigs

Twigs sparing lenticellate, pale greyish brown at first, later becoming dark grey.

Morphology General Shoots

Young shoots and petioles softly pilose, later glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Petioles 1–4(–6) mm. long, strongly canaliculate above, often with 1–2 small conical glands at the top; leaf-blade ovate, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, 2.5–7(–12) cm. long, 1–4(–6) cm. wide, acute or subacute and shortly acuminate, obliquely rounded-cuneate to rounded-truncate, shallowly and remotely denticulate, firmly membranous to thinly chartaceous, lateral nerves 4–5 pairs, ascending, looped, not prominent above or beneath, sparingly softly pubescent above, more densely so below, especially along the midrib and main nerves, dark green, slightly shiny above, not becoming purplish.

Morphology Leaves Stipules

Stipules scarcely aculeate and indurated, 1 mm. long, conical, slightly accrescent, brownish.

sex Male

Male flowers:pedicels slender, flexuous, 3–5(–9) mm. long, sparingly pubescent, articulate three-quarters from the base; calyx in bud conical-subglobose, prominently white-apiculate, lobes 4–5(–6), ovate-lanceolate, 1.5 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide, acute, sparingly pubescent without, glabrous within, pale green, translucent; extrastaminal disc-glands ± fused together to form a crenulate annulus or else several, free, clavate, with terminal hairs or glabrous, dark green; interstaminal disc-glands 1–2(–7) or 0, erect, clavate, with a few long hairs at the apex; stamens (2–)4–5(–8) with 0–6 peripheral and 0–2 central, 0.3 mm. long, anthers yellowish. Male inflorescences interruptedly racemose, with the flowers in 2–4 clusters along the axis, 1.5–3.5 cm. long; peduncle 0.7–1.5 cm. long, softly pubescent; bracts ovate or triangular-ovate, 0.5 mm. long, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Female inflorescences simply racemose, few-flowered, (0.5–)1–2(–3) cm. long; peduncle and axis patent-pubescent; bracts ± as in ♂. Male inflorescences interruptedly racemose, with the flowers in 2–4 clusters along the axis, 1.5–3.5 cm. long; peduncle 0.7–1.5 cm. long, softly pubescent; bracts ovate or triangular-ovate, 0.5 mm. long, ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Female flowers:pedicels thicker than in ♂, 1–2 mm. long, lengthening slightly in fruit, evenly pubescent, articulate near the base; calyx-lobes 3(–4), broadly triangular-ovate, 0.7 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, subacute, evenly pubescent without, glabrous within, pale green; disc-glands 3, triangular-lanceolate, 0.7 mm. long, acute, glabrous, petaloid; ovary trilobate, 1–1.5 mm. diameter, sparingly strigose to subglabrous; styles free, 1.5 mm. long, spreading or recurved, stigmas laciniate throughout. Male flowers:pedicels slender, flexuous, 3–5(–9) mm. long, sparingly pubescent, articulate three-quarters from the base; calyx in bud conical-subglobose, prominently white-apiculate, lobes 4–5(–6), ovate-lanceolate, 1.5 mm. long, 0.8 mm. wide, acute, sparingly pubescent without, glabrous within, pale green, translucent; extrastaminal disc-glands ± fused together to form a crenulate annulus or else several, free, clavate, with terminal hairs or glabrous, dark green; interstaminal disc-glands 1–2(–7) or 0, erect, clavate, with a few long hairs at the apex; stamens (2–)4–5(–8) with 0–6 peripheral and 0–2 central, 0.3 mm. long, anthers yellowish.

sex Female

Female flowers:pedicels thicker than in ♂, 1–2 mm. long, lengthening slightly in fruit, evenly pubescent, articulate near the base; calyx-lobes 3(–4), broadly triangular-ovate, 0.7 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, subacute, evenly pubescent without, glabrous within, pale green; disc-glands 3, triangular-lanceolate, 0.7 mm. long, acute, glabrous, petaloid; ovary trilobate, 1–1.5 mm. diameter, sparingly strigose to subglabrous; styles free, 1.5 mm. long, spreading or recurved, stigmas laciniate throughout. Female inflorescences simply racemose, few-flowered, (0.5–)1–2(–3) cm. long; peduncle and axis patent-pubescent; bracts ± as in ♂.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit usually tricoccous, or sometimes by abortion di- or monococcous, the cocci 5 mm. diameter, sparingly pubescent to subglabrous, pale green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 4 mm. diameter, reticulate, aril reddish orange.

Habitat

Deciduous bushland and thicket, marginally in woodland, often in rocky places; 400–1850 m.

Distribution

K1 K3 K4 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8