Cryptolepis obtusa N.E. Br.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Nhascuvo Ranger Camp, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Vunduzi River below Bunga Ranger Camp, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Many-stemmed climber with milky sap and twining stems 3-5 m long, often purple-brown. Leaves opposite, oblong-elliptic, oblong-obovate, 3-9 cm long, green above; much paler blue-green beneath; apex obtuse to emarginate with a distinct mucro; petioles 4–10 mm long, often purple-brown. Inflorescences axillary, lax to sub-compact, few to many-flowered, hairless. Sepals broadly ovate, 1.5–2 mm long. Corolla creamy-yellow; tube campanulate, 1.5–2 mm long, with papillose spots; lobes linear to linear-ovate, 6–8 mm long. Corona double; lower whorl of clavate lobes, c. 1 mm long; upper whorl of sinus pockets. Fruit consisting of a pair of narrowly linear-lanceolate follicles, horizontally spreading, pointed at the apex, horisontally opposite, cylindrical-ovoid, 8–15 cm long.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	obtusa: bluntly rounded or obtuse, referring to the leaf apices.
Habitat:	In bushland, savanna, wasteland, grassland and low shrubby vegetation.
Altitude range:	0 - 1100 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal South Africa.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,T,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):	Climber, shrub over 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Wednesday 3 June 2015
Literature:	Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 25. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 270. Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Apocynaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 14 - 16. (Includes a picture). 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 66. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 24. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 27.

Other sources of information about Cryptolepis obtusa:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Cryptolepis obtusa
Flora of Zambia: Cryptolepis obtusa
Flora of Zimbabwe: Cryptolepis obtusa

External websites:

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