Rytigynia monantha (K.Schum.) Robyns
var. monantha

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Path to Chisanga Falls, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:	Rytigynia castanea Lebrun, Taton & Toussaint Vangueria monantha K. Schum.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Much branched shrub or small tree 0.3–4.5 m tall; older stems purple-brown or reddish, the bark very finely fissured, sometimes in exposed areas becoming rough and flaking to reveal a reddish or pale brownish powder; branching often ± horizontal. Leaves ovate, oblong or elliptic, 1–6 cm long, narrowly pointed at the apex, discolorous with appressed yellowish or whitish pubescence above and a more or less coarsely velvety pubescence beneath, not entirely obscuring the reticulate venation; petiole 1–4 mm long; stipules with basal parts joined to form a sheath 1.5–2 mm long; appendages compressed, 3–10 mm long, lanceolate or narrowly falcate. Inflorescences 1–2-flowered; peduncle 4–16 mm long; pedicels 23–9 mm long, lengthening to 19 mm in fruit; bracts ovate, 1.5–3.5 mm long. Calyx tube 1–1.5 mm long, densely pubescent outside, densely hairy inside; lobes 5–8, linear to triangular, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Corolla white, pale yellow or greenish, usually spreading bristly pubescent; tube 3–6 mm long, more or less hairless inside, with few deflexed hairs outside or pubescent in upper half; lobes triangular to lanceolate, 2–4 mm long, with a short appendage 0.5–1.5 mm long, often creamy-white inside, usually bristly pubescent outside or less often hairless. Style white, usually exserted 1–3 mm.Fruit subglobose, 6–8 mm wide and long, pubescent.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	monantha: one-flowered, although sometimes two flowers can be present.
Habitat:	In Brachystegia woodland or evergreen forest, usually in rocky places.
Altitude range:	585 - 2250 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia.
Malawi distribution:	N,C
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Friday 5 July 2019
Literature:	Bridson, D.M. (1998). Rubiaceae, Part 2 Flora Zambesiaca 5(2) Pages 294 - 296. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 252. (Includes a picture). Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 29. As Rytigynia monantha Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 92. White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia Oxford Univ. Press. Page 420. As Rytigynia sp. 2 White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 495 - 496. (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Zambia: Rytigynia monantha var. monantha

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African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Rytigynia monantha
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Rytigynia monantha
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Rytigynia monantha
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iNaturalist: Rytigynia monantha
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Rytigynia monantha
JSTOR Plant Science: Rytigynia monantha
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Rytigynia monantha
Plants of the World Online: Rytigynia monantha
Tropicos: Rytigynia monantha
Wikipedia: Rytigynia monantha