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''Microloma'' is a small genus of ''Ceropegia''-like twiners and twiggy bushes occurring in mainly arid or fynbos regions in South Africa. They are generally undistinguished when not in bloom, but the flowers of most species are incongruously decorative.
Common names of ''Microloma'' species are various and regional; Manning mentions "wax creeper" and "melktou" (literally "milk-string", a curious name because the plants do not in general produce latex). Other names include "wax twiner" and "bokhorinkies" (literally "little goat- or antelope-horns, a reference to the shape of the fruit). Marloth said: "The Dutch name is ''suikerkannetje'', as the flower produces so much nectar that in the morning one may shake out a drop of it from each flower."Marloth, Rudolf. “The Flora of South Africa” 1932 Pub. Cape Town: Darter Bros. London: Wheldon & Wesley. "Suikerkannetje" means little "sugar-can". Marloth adds:"In spite of this proffered feast, visitors are rare and one must have much patience if one wants to know who the visitors are that respond to the invitation — they are small moths and tiny butterflies like the Lycaena or still smaller kinds." More recent work however has shown that such insects are incidental visitors; the main pollinators are sunbirds; the Pollinium, pollinia stick to their tongues in a striking example of specialised mutualism.
Microlomas are perennials. Some are delicate twiners and some are shrublets; ''Microloma massonii'' (now = ''Microloma armatum'') is densely branched, with the branches so spiny at their tips, that the colloquial name is "ystervarkbossie", meaning "porcupine bush". Unlike many of the Asclepiadoideae, Microlomas have clear sap without any conspicuous latex. Their leaves are Leaf, opposite, usually Leaf, sessile and Leaf, simple. The inflorescences are Inflorescence, umbel-like Inflorescence, cymes, borne outside the axils. The flowers are usually red or reddish, sometimes yellow, orange or pink. There are five sepals, with the Petal, corolla typically longer than the Sepal, calyx. The five petals are usually glossily waxy, consistently with some of the common names. The corolla tube is usually pentagonal and urceolate, urn-shaped or oblong, with tufts of downward-pointing hairs low down in the tube opposite the lobes. The petals are arranged spirally and practically close the tube. The stamens arise from the base of the corolla. The Stamen, anthers generally are Leaf shape, sagittate at their bases, and bear Pollinium, pollinia.Dyer, R. Allen, “The Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants”. , 1975
Most species grow a fascicle of fleshy roots around the base of the stem and thus may shed shoots and leaves in dry seasons or when fires pass over.
/ref> # ''Microloma burchellii'' N.E.Br. - South Africa # ''Microloma calycinum'' E.Mey. - near Goedemanskraal in Western Cape Province # ''Microloma gibbosum'' N.E.Br. - South Africa # ''Microloma glabratum'' E.Mey. - Western Cape Province # ''Microloma hereroense'' Wanntorp - Namibia # ''Microloma incanum'' Decne.- South Africa # ''Microloma longitubum'' Schltr. - Namibia # ''Microloma namaquense'' H.Bol. - Namibia, Western Cape Province # ''Microloma penicillatum'' Schltr. - Damaraland in Namibia # ''Microloma poicilanthum'' Huber - Damaraland in Namibia # ''Microloma sagittatum'' (L.) R.Br. - South Africa # ''Microloma tenuifolium'' (L.) K.Schum. - South Africa ;formerly included *''Microloma pyrotechnicum'' (Forssk.) Spreng, synonym of ''Leptadenia pyrotechnica'' (Forssk.) Decne.
Overview
''Microloma'' Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773), R. Br. in Mem. Werner. Soc.1: 53, (1809), is a genus of herbaceous perennial plant, perennial, dicotyledonous plants. ''Microloma'' species were originally described as members of the genus Ceropegia, in the family (biology), family Asclepiadaceae, but Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773), Brown separated them and created a new genus, still in the family Asclepiadaceae. More recently the Asclepiadaceae have been reclassified as the Family (biology), subfamily Asclepiadoideae of the dogbane family Apocynaceae.
Common names of ''Microloma'' species are various and regional; Manning mentions "wax creeper" and "melktou" (literally "milk-string", a curious name because the plants do not in general produce latex). Other names include "wax twiner" and "bokhorinkies" (literally "little goat- or antelope-horns, a reference to the shape of the fruit). Marloth said: "The Dutch name is ''suikerkannetje'', as the flower produces so much nectar that in the morning one may shake out a drop of it from each flower."Marloth, Rudolf. “The Flora of South Africa” 1932 Pub. Cape Town: Darter Bros. London: Wheldon & Wesley. "Suikerkannetje" means little "sugar-can". Marloth adds:"In spite of this proffered feast, visitors are rare and one must have much patience if one wants to know who the visitors are that respond to the invitation — they are small moths and tiny butterflies like the Lycaena or still smaller kinds." More recent work however has shown that such insects are incidental visitors; the main pollinators are sunbirds; the Pollinium, pollinia stick to their tongues in a striking example of specialised mutualism.
Microlomas are perennials. Some are delicate twiners and some are shrublets; ''Microloma massonii'' (now = ''Microloma armatum'') is densely branched, with the branches so spiny at their tips, that the colloquial name is "ystervarkbossie", meaning "porcupine bush". Unlike many of the Asclepiadoideae, Microlomas have clear sap without any conspicuous latex. Their leaves are Leaf, opposite, usually Leaf, sessile and Leaf, simple. The inflorescences are Inflorescence, umbel-like Inflorescence, cymes, borne outside the axils. The flowers are usually red or reddish, sometimes yellow, orange or pink. There are five sepals, with the Petal, corolla typically longer than the Sepal, calyx. The five petals are usually glossily waxy, consistently with some of the common names. The corolla tube is usually pentagonal and urceolate, urn-shaped or oblong, with tufts of downward-pointing hairs low down in the tube opposite the lobes. The petals are arranged spirally and practically close the tube. The stamens arise from the base of the corolla. The Stamen, anthers generally are Leaf shape, sagittate at their bases, and bear Pollinium, pollinia.Dyer, R. Allen, “The Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants”. , 1975
Most species grow a fascicle of fleshy roots around the base of the stem and thus may shed shoots and leaves in dry seasons or when fires pass over.
Traditional uses
An infusion of the fleshy root fascicle of ''Microloma saggittatum'' has been used in traditional medicine for relief of griping pains in the abdomen. The infusion is red in colour. If water is unavailable the patient may chew a piece of the root instead.Watt, John Mitchell; Breyer-Brandwijk, Maria Gerdina: The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa 2nd ed Pub. E & S Livingstone 1962 Country children would suck the very sweet nectar from the flower clusters of some species. This was rather as a treat or a whim than as a serious contribution to their nutrition, because the plants are small and not usually plentiful. ;SpeciesThe Plant List, genus ''Microloma''/ref> # ''Microloma burchellii'' N.E.Br. - South Africa # ''Microloma calycinum'' E.Mey. - near Goedemanskraal in Western Cape Province # ''Microloma gibbosum'' N.E.Br. - South Africa # ''Microloma glabratum'' E.Mey. - Western Cape Province # ''Microloma hereroense'' Wanntorp - Namibia # ''Microloma incanum'' Decne.- South Africa # ''Microloma longitubum'' Schltr. - Namibia # ''Microloma namaquense'' H.Bol. - Namibia, Western Cape Province # ''Microloma penicillatum'' Schltr. - Damaraland in Namibia # ''Microloma poicilanthum'' Huber - Damaraland in Namibia # ''Microloma sagittatum'' (L.) R.Br. - South Africa # ''Microloma tenuifolium'' (L.) K.Schum. - South Africa ;formerly included *''Microloma pyrotechnicum'' (Forssk.) Spreng, synonym of ''Leptadenia pyrotechnica'' (Forssk.) Decne.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1931519 Microloma, Flora of Southern Africa Apocynaceae genera Plants used in traditional African medicine