Pigea enneasperma (L.) P.I.Forst.

Violaceae, N. K. B. Robson. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb (occasionally annual or ± shrubby), flowering the first year, up to 60 cm. high (rarely to 3 m.).

Morphology Stem

Stems slender, branching from near the base, erect or ± spreading, terete or flattened or ± ridged, with raised lines decurrent from the stipules and the leaf-bases, glabrous to pubescent or densely hirsute.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves not crowded, subsessile or narrowing to a short petiole; lamina (1) 2–6.5 x 0.2–2.2 cm., linear to elliptic or obovate, acute to obtuse or rounded, cuneate at the base, entire or ± crenate to serrate-dentate, membranous or ± coriaceous, glabrous to pubescent or densely hirsute, venation prominent or not; stipules c. 1.5–4 mm. long, subulate, glabrous or pubescent, terminating in a gland.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary in the axils of foliage leaves.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 4–18 mm. long, slender, glabrous or ± pubescent, with two triangular or subulate bracteoles in the upper half.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 3–4 mm. long; subequal, lanceolate, acute, ± prominently carinate, glabrous or ciliate-pubescent (especially the keel).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Anterior petal (5) 10–15 (20) mm. long, including a short obtuse spur, unguiculate, the claw exceeding the calyx, the lamina varying in shape from suborbicular or obcordate to subquadrate and in colour from rose-pink to violet or bluish, glabrous or ciliate; lateral petals asymmetric, ± triangular-ascending, rounded and often darker in colour at the apex; dorsal petal symmetric, triangular-acuminate, often expanded and darker at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium

Androecium shorter than the lateral petals, the 3 lateral stamens with short filaments, the 2 anterior ones with longer filaments bearing pilose spur-appendages; anthers oblong-elliptic, glabrous or pilose, with a rounded connective-appendage.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary ovoid-globose, glabrous; style about twice as long as the ovary, expanded above, ascending.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 5–8 mm. long, 3-sided, pale yellow, glabrous, coriaceous, smooth or slightly reticulate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds c. 1–5 mm. long, c. 9–12 per capsule, ovoid-ellipsoid, longitudinally ribbed, glabrous.

Violaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Erect, simple or often with numerous vertical branches from the base, up to 12–18 in. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers lilac or bluish.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herb, or a subshrub, glabrous to pubescent

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, with blade linear to oblanceolate, 5–80 x 1–14 mm, narrowing below into a petiole-like base, acute to subobtuse at the apex, subentire to crenate-serrate, glabrous to pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers solitary, axillary; pedicels 5–15 mm long, with a pair of subulate bracteoles

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals lanceolate, 2.5–4 mm long, glabrous or pubescent

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals pink, violet or white, the lowermost 8–19 mm long and much larger than the others

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 5–8 mm long, usually glabrous.

Distribution

N1–3; C1, 2; S1–3 widespread in Africa, also in Asia.

Ecology

Altitude range 50–1500 m.

Vernacular

Din-din, habmale (Somali)

Note

A very variable taxon that has been subdivided into a number of infraspecific taxa in East Africa (see Grey-Wilson in Kew Bull. 36: 103 (1981) and 39: 771 (1984). Most Somali plants probably belong to the widespread and ± weedy var. enneaspermus, but there are also a number of deviating obviously indigenous forms in need of further study.

Violaceae, C. Grey-Wilson. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1986

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial herb to 60 cm. tall, more rarely subshrubby to 3 m.; stems simple or moderately branched, subglabrous to densely pubescent, often becoming glabrescent, ± terete or ridged.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves sessile to subsessile; lamina linear to linear-lanceolate, oblanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 0.5–8 cm. long, 0.1–1.4 cm. wide, the base cuneate, the apex acute to subobtuse, glabrous to densely pubescent, hirsute or scabrid, margin subentire to crenate-serrate or dentate-serrate, lateral veins 4–7 pairs; stipules linear-lanceolate to subulate, 1.5–4 mm. long, margin ciliate usually.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers solitary, axillary, pink, reddish violet, mauve, blue, orange-red, white or bico-loured; pedicels slender, 6–21 mm. long, with a pair of small subulate bracteoles, up to 2 mm. long, in the upper half, glabrous or pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals lanceolate, subequal, 2.5–4 mm. long, acute, glabrous or pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals very unequal; upper 2 elliptical, 3–5.5 mm. long, symmetric, acuminate; lateral 2 triangular-oblong, 4–6 mm. long, often rather expanded at the apex and obtuse; lower petal (lip) suborbicular to subcordate, 8–19 mm. long, with a claw exceeding the calyx and including a short obtuse spur.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens much shorter than the lateral petals, the lower 2 with longer filaments which bear pilose spur-appendages; anthers each with a short ovate connective-appendage.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary globose, glabrous; style slightly exceeding the anthers and thickened towards the tip.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 5–8 mm. long, 3-lobed, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds ovoid-ellipsoidal, ±1.5 mm. long, longitudinally ribbed.

Violaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Erect, often much branched

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers lilac or bluish.