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Accession Data:

Mitriostigma axillare Hochst.

  • Common Name: African Gardenia
  • Family: Rubiaceae Juss.

  • Country of Origin: Mozambique to NE. Cape Prov.
  • Habitat: coastal, dune and mist-belt forests

  • Description: Evergreen shrub 0.5–4 m tall; bark brown, smooth, adhering. Buds hairless. Twigs hairless, stout, dull, brown or green. Leaf scars opposite, meeting as a line. Stems square, thornless. Leaves opposite, simple; petioles 5–10 mm long, glabrous or nearly so; bases not unusually enlarged; buds well exposed; leaf blade 60–100(–200) mm long, 20–30(–60) mm wide, lanceolate to elliptical, apex acute, base obtuse to truncate, surface glossy above, dull, hairless below, veins hairless or nearly so, margin not toothed. Inflorescence an axillary, erect head, flower-stalks hairless. Flower radially symmetrical, bisexual. Calyx tubular, lobes 5, lanceolate, green. Corolla tubular, lobes 5, oblong, 20–30 mm long, 15–20 mm wide, white to yellow, without markings. Stamens 5; filaments free, inserted on perianth, all the same length. Ovary inferior, 2-locular. Style 1. Fruit a hairless, ellipsoid berry (10–)12–25 mm long; rind smooth, thin and soft, orange. Seeds 8–12 mm long, 2–4 mm wide.3
  • Culture: Tolerates a temperature range of 50F-80F, susceptible to root problems if kept too wet. Use well drained mix, let dry visibly between watering, even to the point of slight wilting ok. Bright light and good humidity.
  • USDA Zone: 10a-11

Accession Data:

  • Accession # 198500648
  • Source: Unknown
  • Accession Date: 12-31-1985
  • Bench: 1108 - AFR:West Bench SC
    • Currently: active - healthy
    • Qty: 3 confirmed on 04-07-2025

Classification:

  • Division: Magnoliophyta
  • Class: Magnoliopsida
  • SubClass: euasterid I
  • Order: Gentianales
  • SubOrder:
  • Family: Rubiaceae
  • SubFamily: Ixoroideae
  • Tribe: Gardenieae
  • SubTribe:

Flowering Data:

This accession has been observed in bloom on:
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003

References (internal):

  • Type Species
  • EEB 3271 - Systematic Botany
  • EEB Greenhouse Holdings native to: Mozambique / Cape Provinces / KwaZulu-Natal

References (external):

  1. The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Last accessed 14 October 2015.
  2. WCSP (2015). World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. Facilitated by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Last accessed 14 October 2015.
  3. Mitriostigma axillare at PlantzAfrica. Last accessed 14 October 2015.

data regenerated on Mon, 07 Apr 2025 08:27:04 -0400 [bcm v4.0]

Images:

Mitriostigma axillare

Additional images for this accession:

Click on thumbnails to enlarge

Current Accessions in the Rubiaceae

Subfamily Cinchonoideae
Tribe Catesbaeeae

  • Cubanola domingensis
  • Osa pulchra

Subfamily Cinchonoideae
Tribe Cephalantheae

  • Cephalanthus occidentalis Sugar Shack

Subfamily Cinchonoideae
Tribe Guettardeae

  • Arachnothryx leucophylla

Subfamily Cinchonoideae
Tribe Mussaendeae

  • Mussaenda philippica Queen Sirikit

Subfamily Cinchonoideae
Tribe Naucleeae

  • Nauclea orientalis
  • Neolamarckia cadamba

Subfamily Ixoroideae
Tribe Coffeeae

  • Coffea arabica 'Laurina'
  • Coffea arabica

Subfamily Ixoroideae
Tribe Gardenieae

  • Burchellia bubalina
  • Gardenia jasminoides
  • Gardenia jasminoides
  • Mitriostigma axillare
  • Rosenbergiodendron longiflorum

Subfamily Ixoroideae
Tribe Ixoreae

  • Ixora javanica

Subfamily Ixoroideae
Tribe Posoquerieae

  • Posoqueria longiflora

Subfamily Ixoroideae
Tribe Vanguerieae

  • Vangueria madagascariensis

Subfamily Rubioideae
Tribe Coussareeae

  • Coccocypselum cordifolium
  • Coccocypselum hirsutum

Subfamily Rubioideae
Tribe Hedyotideae

  • Pentas lanceolata

Subfamily Rubioideae
Tribe Psychotrieae

  • Carapichea ipecacuanha
  • Palicourea unidentified
  • Psychotria kirkii
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum aff. moseleyanum
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum formicarum W/C
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum formicarum
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum formicarum
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum formicarum 'Europa'
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum longistylum W/C
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum moseleyanum
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum moseleyanum W/C
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum orichalcum
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum papuanum
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum puffii
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum ramispinum
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum simplex
  • Hydnophytinae: Hydnophytum sp. W/C
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia beccarii
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia platytyrea
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia platytyrea
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia platytyrea ssp. antoinii
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia sp.
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia sp.
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia sp.
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia tuberosa
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia tuberosa 'armata'
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmecodia tuberosa 'dahlii'
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmephytum beccarii
  • Hydnophytinae: Myrmephytum cf. selebicum
  • Hydnophytinae: Squamellaria guppyana

Subfamily Rubioideae
Tribe Putorieae

  • Plocama pendula W/C

Subfamily Rubioideae
Tribe Rubieae

  • Rubia tinctorum
W/C = Wild Collected
= indicates flowering in past 14 days
= images available for this accession
= map available for this accession
= accession added within past 90 days
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