Rhigozum brevispinosum Kuntze

Bignoniaceae, M. A. Diniz. Flora Zambesiaca 8:3. 1988

Morphology General Habit

Erect rigid shrub or small tree, usually with patent spiny branches, 1.2–4 m. tall.

Morphology Branches

Young branchlets quadrangular, grey-brownish, sometimes pubescent or glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves simple, rarely 1-jugate, sessile to subsessile, 20–50 × 3–10 mm., oblanceolate to linear-oblanceolate, slender, rounded, retuse or emarginate at the apex, tapering at the base, more or less pubescent when young, glabrescent, margins entire, alternate on the young branchlets, 9–13 crowded together in each shortly lanate cushion on the older shoots; cushions always below the short spines.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers single or clustered on the cushions; pedicels 6–10 mm. long, pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–9 mm. long, more or less 5-lobed, pubescent outside, sometimes glandular in the upper part.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla golden-yellow, sometimes with reddish streaks, with the tube 15 mm. long, minutely hairy in the throat and below the insertion of the stamens; lobes 15–19 mm. wide, subcircular, patent, crinkled, emarginate, margin ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens adnate up to c. 10 mm. from the base corolla tube; filaments 7–12 mm. long; anthers 3–4.5 mm. long, not apiculate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary 2–3 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 5.5–10 × 1.1–1.5 cm. long, beaked; valves thin, light-brown.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds 1 × 1.8–2.2 cm., including the wings.