Pavetta gracillima S.Moore

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Photo: Bart Wursten
"Sacred" Forest, Mahenye

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Synonyms:	Pavetta buzica S. Moore
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Small shrub, scrambling up to 2.5 m but often less than 1.5 m high. Leaves clustered at the ends of branches, often immature at time of flowering, sessile to subsessile, more or less narrowly obovate, base running narrowly down all the way, 2-5.5 cm long, more or less sparsely pubescent on both surfaces or with denser hairs on the midrib beneath; bacterial nodules dot-like, scattered, often rather few or concentrated near the mid rib. Stipules triangular acuminate, c. 2.5 mm long, becoming corky protecting new season's buds. Inflorescences 1-2 cm in diameter (excluding the corollas) on supporting branchlets 1.5-7 cm long with 2 pairs of leaves below the inflorescence. Calyx with a tube c. 1 mm long and linear-triangular lobes 3-6.5 mm long, more or less pubescent. Corolla with a tube 7-14 mm long, not bearded in the throat; lobes 3.5-4.5 mm long. Fruit black 5-6 mm in diameter, crowned with the persistent calyx limb.
Notes:	The restricted distribution qualifies this species as a Near-Endemic.
Derivation of specific name:	gracillima: very graceful or slender.
Habitat:	In Brachystegia, mopane and mixed deciduous woodland, in sand forest and often in shaded gullies or near rivers.
Altitude range: (metres)	180 - 610 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Restricted to Southeastern Zimbabwe and more or less adjacent areas in Mozambique.
Zimbabwe distribution:	E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Wednesday 11 February 2015
Literature:	Bridson, D.M. & Verdcourt, B. (2003). Rubiaceae, Part 3 Flora Zambesiaca 5(3) Pages 564 - 565. Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 999. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 43. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 1119. only noted in the keys Darbyshire, I., Timberlake, J., Osborne, J., Rokni, S., Matimele, H., Langa. C., Datizua, C., de Sousa, C., Alves, T., Massingue, A., Hadj-Hammou, J., Dhanda, S., Shah, T., Wursten, B. (2019). The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status Phytotaxa 136 Page 93. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 277. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 73.

Other sources of information about Pavetta gracillima:

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Flora of Mozambique: Pavetta gracillima

External websites:

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