Rauvolfia nana E.A. Bruce

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Habit
Degraded Kalahari scrubland
Muliata, Luampa District
Jan 2024
Photo: Nick Wightman

Flower
Degraded Kalahari scrubland
Muliata, Luampa District
Jan 2024
Photo: Nick Wightman

Follicle
Degraded Kalahari scrubland
Muliata, Luampa District
Jan 2024
Photo: Nick Wightman

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:	Rare
Status:	Native
Description:	Rhizomatous undershrub, 10–30 cm high. Leaves sessile or nearly so; lamina 2–9 x 0.2–2 cm, linear to narrowly obovate, subacute to acute at the apex, at the base narrowly cuneate, papery to subcoriaceous when dried, glabrous, with 4–9 secondary veins on each side of the midrib. Inflorescences 3–6-flowered, somewhat congested, peduncle very short, glabrous. Pedicels 3–5 mm, glabrous. Sepals 1.3–1.5 mm long, triangular, glabrous. Corolla hypocrateriform; tube white or greenish-yellow, 3.5–5 mm long, inside pubescent from 1.4–1.8 mm from the base to the lobes; lobes sometimes different from the tube in colour, white or greenish-yellow, 1.8–2.5 mm long, ovate or triangular, inside pubescent at the base. Fruits red with only one carpel developing; carpel ellipsoid, 7–12 x 3–8 mm. Seeds 6–12 x 3–8 x 2–5 mm.
Type location:	Zambia, Mwinilunga
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	nana: dwarf or diminutive, a reference to the small nature of the species
Habitat:	In open woodland on sandy soil
Altitude range: (metres)	300 - 850 m
Flowering time:	Nov - Dec(-Jan)
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, DR Congo and Zambia.
Botanical divisions:	IV,V
Growth form(s):	Shrub under 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Beentje, H. (2021). Apocynaceae, sous-familes I. Apocynoideae et II. Rauvolfioideae Flore d' Afrique Centrale Jardin botanique de Meise Page 23. Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. & Kupicha, F.K. et al. (1985). Apocynaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Page 459. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 26. White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia Oxford Univ. Press. Page 351.

Other sources of information about Rauvolfia nana:

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Flora of Zambia: Rauvolfia nana

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