Trichodesma africana

• Interesting Facts
• Description
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Interesting Facts

Description

Genus Trichodesma

Subshrubs or perennial herbs, minutely hispid or glabrous . Leaves opposite or alternate, entire. Cymes terminal , becoming racemelike or paniculate , bracteate . Calyx 5-parted, becoming fastigiate or ovoid , base 5-veined or winged ; lobes oblong to lanceolate, enlarged in fruit. Corolla broadly tubular , frequently tomentose inside; throat appendages usually absent; limb 5-parted; lobes triangular-ovate, apex caudate-attenuate. Stamens inserted on lower part of corolla tube; anthers oblong-linear to lanceolate, with awnlike and spiral-twisted connectives at apex. Ovary 4-parted. Style linear , exserted from corolla throat; stigma obscure . Gynobase fastigiate and 4-veined longitudinally. Nutlets dorsiventrally compressed , margin of abaxial surface protruding, becoming cupular, dentate . Seeds suborbicular .

About 40 species: Africa, tropical Asia, Australia; one species in China.

The genus Lacaitaea was created by Brand for Trichodesma calycosum, the only species of Trichodesma with appendages in the throat. The unusual number of 10 appendages is due to the partition of each scale by a vein running down from the corolla lobe. It is difficult to understand why this species alone possesses a peculiarity of usually considerable taxonomic importance, as already pointed out by Johnston (J. Arnold Arbor . 33: 75. 1952) . The species is retained in Trichodesma because it is very similar to other species of Trichodesma in all other characters.[1]

Habitat

Typically found in the intertidal zone at the water's edge at a mean distance from sea level of 128 meters (419 feet).[2]

Taxonomy

Similar Species

Members of the genus Trichodesma

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 0 species and subspecies in this genus:

More Info

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Further Reading

• Journal of ethnobiology. 14 1994 Flagstaff, Ariz.: Center for Western Studies, 1981- url p. 85.
• Niger flora; or, An enumeration of the plants of western tropical Africa, collected by the late Dr. Theodore Vogel, botanist to the voyage of the expedition sent by Her Britannic Majesty to the river Niger in 1841, under the command of Capt. H. D. Trotter, R.N., &c.; includ London, H. Bailliere; [etc., etc.]1849. url p. 153.
• Sketch of the forestry of West Africa with particular reference to its present principal commercial products. London, S. Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1887. url , .

Notes

Contributors

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 15, 2012.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal December 01, 2007:

• Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Israel Nature and Parks Authority

Identifiers

• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 16123639
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 2770619

Footnotes

1. http://bugguide.net/index.php?q=search&keys=Trichodesma&search=Search [back]
2. Standard Deviation = 170.590 based on 37 observations. Terrestrial altitude and ocean depth information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

©2004-2012 David Stang. All rights reserved.