Canthium kuntzeanum Bridson

Rubiaceae, D. Bridson. Flora Zambesiaca 5:2. 1998

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or small tree, or sometimes a liana, 1.7–10 m tall, often armed with supra-axillary spines; young stems slender, glabrous or occasionally pubescent; bark grey.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves well spaced along older branches, or less often restricted to new growth; blades 0.5–4 × 0.5–2.6 cm, broadly elliptic or sometimes ovate, obtuse to acute at the apex, cuneate or sometimes obtuse to rounded at the base, glabrous, papery, turning blackish when dry; lateral nerves, in 3–4 main pairs, inconspicuous; tertiary nerves obscure; domatia present as ciliate pits, sometimes incompletely formed or absent; petioles 3–6 mm long; stipules 2–3 mm long, sheathing at base then triangular, apiculate, with a few hairs inside.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers 5-merous, solitary, or with 2 or 3 borne on a common peduncle; peduncle 10–14 mm long; pedicels 8–15 mm long, or 16–28 mm long in solitary flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube c. 1 mm long; limb 0.5–1 mm long, repand and very shortly dentate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla greenish-white; tube 2.5–4 mm long, inside with a ring of deflexed hairs near the top and with some hairs projecting from throat; lobes 1.75–2.25 × 1.25–1.5 mm, oblong-triangular, acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style scarcely exserted.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pollen presenter

Pollen presenter c. 0.75 × 0.75 mm; disk glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers

Anthers set at throat, apiculate with a central band of darkened connective tissue on the dorsal side.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit (11)13–15 × 9–15 mm, either narrowly obovate or obcordate in lateral view, scarcely or distinctly indented at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Pyrene

Pyrene c. 10 × 5 mm, narrowly oblong-ellipsoid, point of attachment ± truncate with shallow crest running to apex, rugulose.