Thesium pygmaeum Hilliard

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Saddle above small valley below Nhamedimu, Chimanimani Mts

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:	Local
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb growing from a small woody caudex. Stems many, decumbent to erect, 10-15 cm long, not ribbed. Leaves ascending-recurved to spreading, linear, c. 7-14 mm long, fleshy, pointed at the apex. Flowers solitary in the axils of bracts, 1-5 arranged like a raceme at the ends of branchlets, together forming a profusely branched panicle. Flowers white, sessile or on pedicels up to 2 mm long, with lobes c. 0.6 mm long, triangular, hairless; external glands ellipsoid.Fruit c. 2 mm long, reddish-brown with slightly raised ribs and reticulations.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	pygmaeum: dwarved; pygmy
Habitat:	On quartzite sandstone rocky outcrops
Altitude range: (metres)	1380 - 1640 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Known only from the Chimanimani Mountains in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe distribution:	E
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Friday 28 November 2014
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 55. Darbyshire, I., Timberlake, J., Osborne, J., Rokni, S., Matimele, H., Langa. C., Datizua, C., de Sousa, C., Alves, T., Massingue, A., Hadj-Hammou, J., Dhanda, S., Shah, T., Wursten, B. (2019). The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status Phytotaxa 136 Page 94. Goodier, R. & Phipps, J.B. (1961). A revised checklist of the vascular plants of the Chimanimani Mountains Kirkia 1 Page 55. as Thesium kilimandscharicum Hilliard, O.M. (2006). Santalaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(3) Pages 214 - 215. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 76. Timberlake, J., Darbyshire, I., Wursten, B., Hadj-Hammou, J., Ballings, P., Mapaura, A., Matimele, H., Banze, A., Chipanga, H., Muassinar, D., Massunde, J., Chelene, I., Osborne, J., Shah, T. (2016). Chimanimani Mountains: Botany and Conservation. Report produced under CEPF Grant 63512. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. Page 47. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 99.

Other sources of information about Thesium pygmaeum:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Thesium pygmaeum

External websites:

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