Cryptolepis decidua
A botanical illustration of Cryptolepis decidua (published using the synonymous name Curroria decidua).[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Cryptolepis
Species:
C. decidua
Binomial name
Cryptolepis decidua
Synonyms[2]
  • Curroria decidua Planch. ex Benth.

Cryptolepis decidua is a species of plant in the Apocynaceae family. It is native to Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.[3][4] George Bentham,[5] the botanist who first formally described the species, named it after its falling (deciduus in Latin) leaves that leave behind overlapping persistent petiole bases.[6][7]

Description

It is a shrub reaching 1.5 meters in height.[8] Its straight, slender, stems have pale grey bark. Its leaves occur in clusters. Its hairless, linear to slightly spatula-shaped leaves are 1.9–2.5 by 0.25–0.5 centimeters. The tips of its leaves are blunt or slightly pointed. The base of the leaves terminate in a rudimentary petiole. When the leaves fall, the petioles persist and form overlapping stacks. Its solitary flowers occur at the junction of the leaves and stem, and because the leaves are clustered can occur in groups of two or more. The flowers are on pedicels that are 0.8–1.9 centimeters long. The pedicels have slender hairless bracts midway up their length. The flower buds are twisted in a spiral. Its flowers have 5 lance-shaped sepals that are 2.5 millimeters long with pointed tips. The 5 petals are fused at their base to form a 2.5 millimeter-long, bell-shaped tube. The lance-shaped, hairless lobes of the petals are 7.6 millimeters long. The flowers have a ring-like structure between the petals and its stamen called a corona. Its corona have 5 thread-like, lobes that are 3.8–5.1 millimeters long and attached half-way up the petal tubes. Its stamen have tapering anthers that arch over the stigma. The styles of the pistils are shorter than the anthers and have cone-shaped tops.[6][9]

Reproductive biology

The pollen of Cryptolepis decidua is shed as permanent tetrads.[10]

Distribution and habitat

It has been observed growing at elevations up to 2000 meters.[8]

Uses

Its roots have been reported as being used as a traditional medicine in Namibia and extracts from its tissues have been shown to have immunomodulatory activity in laboratory tests with isolated human blood cells.[11] It has also been included in lists of South African poisonous plants.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Engler, A.; Drude, O. (1910). Die Vegetation der Erde :Sammlung pflanzengeographischer Monographien, V. IX Die Pflanzenwelt Afrikas insbesondere seiner erenen Gebiete Grundzüge der Pflanzenverbreitung in Afrika und die Charakterpflanzen Afrikas [The vegetation of the earth: collection of plant-geographical monographs, V. IX The flora of Africa, in particular its older areas, basic features of the plant distribution in Africa and the characteristic plants of Africa]. Leipzig: W. Engelman.
  2. ↑ "Cryptolepis decidua (Planch. ex Hook. fil. & Benth.) N. E. Br". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000. n.d. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Cryptolepis decidua (Planch. ex Benth.) N.E.Br". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Cryptolepis decidua (Planch. ex Benth.) N.E. Br". Tropicos. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. n.d. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ "George Bentham". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Harvard University Herbaria & Libraries; Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Hooker, J.D.; Bentham, George (1849). Niger Flora; or, an Enumeration of the Plants of Western Tropical Africa. London: Hippolyte Bailliere. p. 457.
  7. ↑ Stearn, William (2004). Botanical Latin. Portland, Ore. Newton Abbot: Timber Press David & Charles. ISBN 9780881926279.
  8. 1 2 Germishuizen, G.; Meyer, N.L. (2003). Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Pretoria: National Botanical Institute. p. 145. ISBN 1-919795-99-5.
  9. ↑ Brown, N.E. (1902). "Order LXXXV. Asclepiadeae". In Thiselton-Dyer, William T. (ed.). Flora of Tropical Africa. Vol. IV. Section 1. Oleaceae to Gentianeae. London: Lovell Reeve & Co., Ltd. p. 243. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.42.
  10. ↑ Joubert, Lize (2007). A Taxonomic Study of Cryptolepis (Apocynaceae) in Southern Africa (M.Sc. thesis). University of the Free State. OCLC 638720409. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  11. ↑ Preez, C.I. Du; Gründemann, C.; Reinhardt, J.K.; Mumbengegwi, D.R.; Huber, R. (2020). "Immunomodulatory effects of some Namibian plants traditionally used for treating inflammatory diseases". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 254. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2020.112683. hdl:11070/3018.
  12. ↑ Bullock, A.A. (1952). "South African Poisonous Plants". Kew Bulletin. 7 (1): 117–129. JSTOR 4117678.
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