Volkameria acerbiana Vis.
Clerodendrum acerbianum (Vis.) B.D. Jacks.
Shrub, evergreen, hermaphrodite, grey-pubescent, with stems up to 3 m in height, densely pubescent, and branches quadrangular in cross section. Leaves opposite and decussate, or 3-4 verticillate, with petiole 0.2-1.5 mm and leaf blade up to 8 × 4 cm, oblong-elliptical or ovate, subacute or obtuse, rounded or subcordate at the base, entire, subglabrous. Flowers shortly pedicellate, in globose axillary cymes, dense, with long peduncles. Calyx campanulate, persistent after fruiting, densely pubescent, with tube c. 2 mm and 4-5 lobes 3-6 mm, narrowly triangular, acute or acuminate. Corolla hypocrateriform, white, with tube 1.5-2.5 cm, hairy-glandular, and 5 lobes c. 3 × 2 mm. Androecium with 4 dithecous stamens, longly exserted. Ovary cylindrical. Fruit in 4-nutlets, with testa clearly suberose.
Flowering:
Almost all year round.
Fruiting:
About 1 month after flowering.
Habitat:
Banks of rivers, ponds and other wetlands, depressions.
Distribution:
Tropical Africa, extending up to Mozambique to the S and to Egypt to the N. In North Africa it is found along the Nile basin in Sudan and Egypt (Nubia, to the region of Kom Ombo, in Aswan).
Observations:
This tropical species penetrates the study area along the Nile Valley. Another species is naturalised in Tunisia: V. inermis L. [Clerodendrum inerme (L.) Gaertn.], a shrubby or climbing species, evergreen, typical of tropical mangroves in Asia and western Polynesia, cultivated for gardening, particularly in tropical countries.
Conservation status:
Fairly common and widespread species. Currently, they have not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In the Red List of vascular plants of Egypt (Flora Aegyptiaca Vol 1, 2000) V. azerbiana is listed as “Rare”.