Lianes or climbing shrubs, with
clear, white or yellow latex. Leaves opposite and decussate or ternate (rarely in whorls of 4). Inflorescences 1-many-flowered cymes, terminal
or in the forks of branches. Corolla colour shades of white and red initially, later turning yellow and purple. Corolla
consisting of tube, corona and lobes; the corona 10-lobed with
lobes arranged in pairs between the corolla lobes; the lobes
produced into long linear tails (in ours), overlapping
to the right. Anthers connivent into a cone at the apex of
the style. Ovary 2-locular. Fruit of 2 divergent, rigid or woody,
tapering follicles. Seeds beaked with an apical tuft of
hairs. Worldwide: 38 species in the Old World tropics Zambia: 9 taxa. |
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