Pentarrhinum abyssinicum Decne.
subsp. abyssinicum

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Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. abyssinicum

Photo: Nicholas Wightman
Dabuyu Farms, Lilayi, Lusaka, Lusaka Distr., Lusaka Province

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Synonyms:	Cynanchum ethiopicum Liede & Khanum
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Slender perennial twining to 5 m, stems simple or branched, containing white latex. Leaves with petiole 1.5 - 5 cm long, minutely pubescent; lamina 3 - 10 x 1.5 - 6 cm, ovate to broadly triangular, apex acute or attenuate, base weakly to strongly cordate, shortly pubescent or glabrous. Inflorescences extra-axillary, simple or irregularly branched, umbelliform (most forest forms) or the flowers scattered singly or in pairs along the inflorescence axes (more open habitats). Sepals 1 - 3 mm long, triangular, acute. Corolla greenish white or pale yellow, less than 10 mm diameter, 2 - 6 x 1 - 2 mm, ovate to oblong, lobes fully reflexed at anthesis, margins generally glabrous. Corona white, divided almost to the base; lobes spreading or erect, 1.5 - 2.5 mm long, slightly longer than the staminal column, thin or somewhat fleshy, the lateral and apical margins in-rolled forming a weakly to strongly developed apical tooth on the inner face. Follicles occurring singly or in pairs, 5–6 × 1 cm, lanceolate in outline, tapering to a weakly clavate tip, smooth or with irregular soft processes. Mature seeds not seen. This subspecies differs from subsp. angolense in having a corolla less than 10 mm in diameter, corolla lobes fully reflexed at anthesis with generally glabrous margins and growing in grassland to open woodland.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	abyssinicum: of Abyssinia (now Ethiopia).
Habitat:	Stony slopes or flats in woodland, usually climbing into shrubs or trees.
Flowering time:	Feb - Apr
Worldwide distribution:	From Cameroon, Ethiopia and Eritrea south through Kenya, Tanzania, DRC, Malawi, Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe to north eastern South Africa
Growth form(s):	Climber.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:	Lower Risk - least concern
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Bruyns, P.V. (2014). The Apocynaceae of Namibia Strelitzia 34 SANBI, Pretoria, South Africa Page 59. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Namibia Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 75. As subsp. abyssinicum and subsp. angolense Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Apocynaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 338 - 339. Liede, S. & Nicholas, A. (1992). A Revision of the Genus Pentarrhinum E. Meyer (Asclepiadaceae) Kew Bulletin 47(3) Pages 481 - 482.

Other sources of information about Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. abyssinicum:

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Flora of Malawi: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. abyssinicum
Flora of Mozambique: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. abyssinicum
Flora of Zambia: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. abyssinicum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. abyssinicum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
JSTOR Plant Science: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
Plants of the World Online: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
Tropicos: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum
Wikipedia: Pentarrhinum abyssinicum