Phaeoptilum spinosum
Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record
Image 1
Stem with leaves and
spiny branches
30 Sep 2006
Image 2
Seed pod
19 Dec 2007
Image 3
Leaves
21 Mar 2008
Image 4
Spiny branches
26 May 2006
Image 5
Habit
26 May 2006
Image 6
Habit, showing pinkish
seed pods
13 Dec 2004
| Family: | Nyctaginaceae |
| Full name: | Phaeoptilum spinosum Radlk. |
| ID status: | Fairly certain |
| Afrikaans common name(s): | Brosdoring, Bloudoringbos, Wilde bougainvilla |
| English common name(s): | Brittle-thorn, Winged-fruit bush |
| Synonym(s): | Amphoranthus spinosus S.Moore Nachtigalia protectoratus Schinz ex Engl. Phaeoptilum heimerli Engl. |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: | A small shrub with woody stem furnished with numerous sharp spines reaching 0.5 in. long; branches many, running out into spines; leaves 4–5 lin. long, 0.25 lin. broad, linear-cuneate, obtuse, thick, in fascicles along the branches; perianth-tube 4 lin. long, about 5 lin. in diam. at the mouth; lobes 2 lin. long, suborbicular; staminal tube 0.5 lin. long; filaments about 0.2 in. long; fruit a 4–5-winged anthocarp 8 lin. long, 6 lin. broad, enclosed in the persistent perianth-tube. (from JSTOR website / Flora Capensis) Shrub up to 3 m tall. Branches terminating in spines with crowded, alternate, spine-like lateral branches. Bark greyish yellow to greyish brown. Leaves greyish green, 5–35 x 1–4 mm, linear-cuneiform, coriaceous, apex rounded or emarginate, glabrous to crisped pubescent. Flowers creamy yellow, scented. Perianth 6–8 mm long, densely crisped pubescent to tomentose on outside; lobes rounded to (in female flowers) triangular, slightly cucullate, curling inwards as anthocarp develops. Stamens usually 4 longer, 6–12.5 mm long and 4 shorter, 4–10 mm long; filaments filiform; anthers 0.5–2 mm long. Ovary 1.5–3.5 mm long, fusiform-elliptic; style 1.5–3.5 mm long; stigma multifid; ovule attached to one side of base of ovary. Anthocarp 15–25 x 12–20 mm (incl. wings), pubescent to glabrescent, yellowish-green turning pink, red or purple with age; wings more or less semi-circular, parchment-like; central portion fusiform; fruit 7–8 x 2.5–3 mm, oblong-elliptic in outline, square in cross section, remains of reduced stamens around base; seed more or less filling fruit cavity. (from JSTOR website / Flora Zambesiaca) |
| Link(s) |
African Plant Database
JSTOR Plant Science Kew Herbarium Catalogue BGBM Berlin-Dahlem - Virtual Herbarium Züricher Herbarien Flora of Zimbabwe Fleurs de notre Terre - Galerie Namibie |
| Content last updated: | 22 Nov 2011 |
