The flowering plants of Africa / An analytical key to the genera of African phanerograms

by Franz Thonner

Genus 1, species 1. Island of Madeira. Yields wood especially used for making walking-sticks, and serves as an ornamental plant. Clethra L.

[FAMILY 189.] ERICACEAE

Undershrubs, shrubs, or trees. Leaves undivided, usually narrow. Flowers solitary or in umbels, racemes or panicles, regular or nearly so, hermaphrodite. Calyx 4-5-cleft or-parted, persistent. Petals united below, with imbricate or contorted aestivation. Stamens 3-15, usually twice as many as the petals, free from the corolla or almost so, rarely (Ficalhoa) distinctly inserted on the corolla-tube. Anthers turned inwards, usually opening towards the top; pollen-grains united in groups of four. Disc more or less distinctly developed. Ovary usually superior, 1-5-celled. Ovules axile or solitary, inverted or almost so. Style simple. Seeds with copious albumen.—Genera 17, species 720. (Including VACCINIACEAE.) (Plate 120.)

1. Ovary inferior, adnate to the calyx-tube. Corolla deciduous. Stamens
8-10. Fruit a many-seeded berry.—Species 8. Azores, Madeira,
East Africa to Transvaal, and Madagascar. Some have edible fruits.
[Subfamily VACCINIOIDEAE, tribe VACCINIEAE.] Vaccinium L.
Ovary superior, free from the calyx, but sometimes (Salaxis) adnate to the corolla-tube at the base. 2
2. Flowers 5-merous, rarely 6-merous. Corolla deciduous. Stamens 10-15 inserted at the base of the corolla. Ovules numerous in each ovary-cell.
Fruit a capsule without a persistent central column, or a berry.
Trees or tall shrubs. Leaves alternate or subopposite, oblong or lanceolate.
Flowers in racemes or panicles. [Subfamily ARBUTOIDEAE.] 3
Flowers 4-merous, rarely 2-3-merous, very rarely (Erica) 5-merous, but then low shrubs with fascicled flowers. Corolla usually persistent.
Stamens 3-8, rarely 10-12. Fruit a capsule, usually with a persistent central column, or an achene. Undershrubs or mostly low shrubs, very rarely trees. 5
3. Anthers attached below the apex, provided with two spur-like appendages.
Filaments broadened at the base. Disc distinctly developed. Ovules axile. Fruit a mealy berry with a warty skin.—Species 2. North
Africa. They yield tanning materials, medicaments, and edible fruits, and serve as ornamental plants. “Strawberry-tree.” [Tribe ARBUTEAE.] Arbutus L.
Anthers attached above the base, without appendages. Disc indistinct.
Ovules subbasal. Fruit a loculicidal capsule. [Tribe ANDROMEDEAE.] 4
4. Corolla shortly urn-shaped, deeply 5-lobed. Stamens 15, in groups of three, inserted in the corolla-tube. Filaments glabrous. Stigma finally 5-parted. Seeds ovoid. Trees. Leaves serrate.—Species 1.
Southern West Africa (Angola). Ficalhoa Hiern
Corolla tubular or funnel-shaped, 5-6-toothed. Stamens 10-12, inserted singly at the base of the corolla-tube. Filaments hairy. Stigma entire.
Seeds oblong. Leaves entire.—Species 7. Tropics. Some of them are poisonous or yield wood and medicaments. Agauria DC.
5. Fruit dehiscing septicidally, many-seeded. Corolla shortly toothed, deciduous. Stamens 8. Anthers longer than the filaments, without appendages, opening by terminal pores. Ovary-cells many-ovuled.
Small shrubs. Leaves alternate, elliptical. Flowers in terminal racemes.—Species 1. Azores. Used as an ornamental plant. [Subfamily
RHODODENDROIDEAE, tribe PHYLLODOCEAE.] Daboecia Don
Fruit dehiscing loculicidally or indehiscent, rarely septicidal, but then few-seeded and enveloped by the persistent corolla. Corolla usually persistent after the time of flowering. Leaves usually whorled and linear.
[Subfamily ERICOIDEAE.] 6
6. Ovary with a single ovule in each cell, rarely with several ovules, but then
1-2-celled. [Tribe SALAXIDEAE.] 7
Ovary with 2 or more ovules in each of its 3-8 cells. [Tribe ERICEAE.] 12
7. Stigma large, cupular or discoid. Bracteoles rudimentary or wanting.
Corolla-lobes 4. 8
Stigma small, capitate or truncate. Bracts and bracteoles usually 3. 10
8. Style short, included in the corolla-tube. Stamens 6-8. Calyx unequally
4-cleft or 4-parted.—Species 15. South Africa. (Including Coccosperma
Klotzsch, Lagenocarpus Klotzsch, and Lepterica N. E. Brown). Salaxis Salisb.
Style long, exserted. Stamens 3-5. Calyx 3-4-toothed or -cleft. 9
9. Anthers much exserted. Calyx 4-toothed. Bract 1.—Species 1. South
Africa. (Under Syndesmanthus Klotzsch). Codonostigma Klotzsch
Anthers included or slightly exserted. Bracts none.—Species 20. South
Africa. (Including Coilostigma Klotzsch). Scyphogyne Brongn.
10. Corolla 2-lobed. Calyx 2-lobed or 4-toothed. Stamens 4.—Species
9. South Africa. (Including Aniserica N. E. Brown) Sympieza Lichtenst.
Corolla 4-lobed. Calyx 4-toothed to 4-parted. 11
11. Calyx shortly toothed, usually thickened. Stamens 3-4. Ovary 1-2-celled.—Species
50. South Africa. (Including Anomalanthus Klotzsch and Syndesmanthus Klotzsch). Simochilus Hook. & Benth.
Calyx divided to the middle or beyond. Stamens 4-8.—Species 40.
South Africa. (Including Acrostemon Klotzsch, Eremiopsis N. E. Brown,
Grisebachia Klotzsch, Hexastemon Klotzsch, Platycalyx N. E. Brown,
Thamnus Klotzsch, and Thoracosperma Klotzsch). Eremia Don
12. (6.) Stamens 4. Fruit few-seeded, loculicidal. 13
Stamens 8, very rarely 6, 7, 10, or 12. 14
13. Calyx-lobes unequal, one of them somewhat larger than the others. Disc distinctly developed. Bracts and bracteoles none.—Species 6. Tropical and South Africa. Ericinella Klotzsch
Calyx-lobes equal. Disc rudimentary. Bracts and bracteoles 3.—Species
30. Tropical and South Africa. Blaeria L.
14. Flowers with 4 bracts and bracteoles. Calyx corolla-like, 4-parted nearly to the base, slightly exceeding the deeply 4-cleft corolla. Anthers spurred, opening by longitudinal slits. Fruit dehiscing septicidally, few-seeded.—Species 1 (C. vulgaris Salisb., ling). North-west
Africa (Morocco and Azores). Yields tanning and dyeing materials, medicaments, and food for bees. Calluna Salisb.
Flowers with 1-3 bracts and bracteoles or without any. Fruit dehiscing loculicidally, usually many-seeded. 15
15. Calyx-lobes unequal, the lowest larger than the others. Bracts and bracteoles none. Disc rudimentary. Stigma broad. Flowers terminal.—Species
45. Tropical and South Africa. Some are used medicinally.
(Plate 120.) Philippia Klotzsch
Calyx-lobes equal. Bracts and bracteoles nearly always present. Disc usually distinctly developed. 16
16. Calyx much longer than the corolla, two of the segments including the other two. Anthers opening by loculicidal slits.—Species 1. South
Africa (Cape Colony). (Under Erica L.) Macnabia Benth.
Calyx not much longer, usually shorter than the corolla.—Species 480.
South Africa, East Africa to Comoro Islands, and North Africa. Many species are used as ornamental plants, some yield wood or dyes. (Including
Pentapera Klotzsch). “Heath.” Erica L.

ORDER PRIMULALES

[FAMILY 190.] MYRSINACEAE

Trees or shrubs, rarely (Afrardisia) herbs. Leaves alternate, undivided, gland-dotted, without stipules. Flowers in racemes, panicles, umbels or heads, regular, 4-5-, very rarely 6-7-merous. Petals white or red, rarely yellow or green, usually united below. Stamens as many as the petals, opposite to them, inserted on the corolla. Anthers opening inwards, more rarely near the apex. Ovary superior, rarely (Maesa) half-inferior, 1-celled, with a free central, usually globular placenta. Ovules several or many, inverted or half-inverted. Style simple or wanting; stigma entire or lobed. Fruit a berry, a drupe, or a nut. Seeds with copious albumen. Embryo with a long radicle and small cotyledons.—Genera 10, species 130. (Plate 121.)

1. Ovary inferior or half-inferior. Ovules seated upon the surface of the placenta. Fruit several-seeded. Petals united below, white. Stigma
broadened. Shrubs. Flowers in racemes or panicles.—Species 10.
Tropical and South Africa. Some are used medicinally. (Plate 121.)
[Subfamily MAESOIDEAE.] Maesa Forsk.
Ovary superior. Ovules sunk into the placenta. Fruit one-seeded.
[Subfamily MYRSINOIDEAE.] 2
2. Ovules in several rows. Petals free, pink. Flowers hermaphrodite,
5-merous, in short racemes. Stigma punctiform. Filaments long.—Species
1. Madeira and Canary Islands. (Under Ardisia Swartz or
Myrsine L.) [Tribe ARDISIEAE.] Heberdenia Banks
Ovules in a single row. Petals united below, more rarely free, but then flowers dioecious and stigma peltate. [Tribe MYRSINEAE.] 3
3. Ovules numerous, about ten. Anthers opening by a single pore at the apex. Sepals unequal-sided. Petals united below. Filaments short.
Stigma punctiform. Trees. Flowers in panicles, dioecious, 5-merous.—Species
6. Madagascar. (Under Ardisia Swartz). Monoporus A. DC.
Ovules few. Anthers opening by two slits or pores. 4.
4. Stigma punctiform. Style thin. Flowers hermaphrodite, 5-7-merous.
Petals united below. Filaments short, free or nearly so. 5
Stigma more or less dilated. Style thick. 6
5. Sepals and petals with imbricate, not contorted aestivation; petals white, equal-sided. Trees or tall shrubs. Leaves entire. Flowers sessile or nearly so, in heads or umbels arising from lateral dwarf-shoots.—Species
1. Madeira and Canary Islands. (Under Myrsine L.) Pleiomeris A. DC.
Sepals and petals with contorted aestivation; petals red, unequal-sided.
Herbs, undershrubs, or shrubs. Flowers in axillary umbels or racemes,
5-merous.—Species 10. West Africa. (Under Ardisia Swartz). Afrardisia Mez
6. Petals free or nearly so. Filaments usually free. Flowers unisexual.—Species
25. Tropical and South-east Africa. Some are used medicinally.
(Samara L., Pattara Adans.) Embelia Burm.
Petals obviously united below. 7
7. Filaments wanting. 8
Filaments distinctly developed, more or less united. Style present. 9
8. Style wanting. Flowers in umbels upon sometimes imperceptible dwarf-shoots.—Species
10. Tropical and South Africa. (Under Myrsine L.) Rapanea Aubl.
Style present. Flowers in axillary racemes or panicles.—Species 10.
Mascarene Islands and Madagascar. (Under Ardisia Swartz or Icacorea
Aubl.) Badula Juss.
9. Flowers dioecious, in umbels arising from dwarf-shoots. Petals imbricate in bud. Anthers free.—Species 2. Tropical and South Africa and
Azores. They yield timber and are used as ornamental, medicinal, or fodder plants. Myrsine L.
Flowers hermaphrodite, in axillary umbels, racemes or panicles.—Species
55. Madagascar and neighbouring islands. Oncostemon A. Juss.

MYRSINACEAE.