Home | > | List of families | > | Euphorbiaceae | > | Euphorbia | > | schimperiana |
Synonyms: |
Euphorbia ampla Hook.f. Euphorbia dilatata A. Rich. Euphorbia helioscopia sensu Eyles non L. Euphorbia hochstetteriana Pax Euphorbia kilimandscharica Pax Euphorbia lehmbachii Pax Euphorbia longecornuta Pax Euphorbia monticola A. Rich. Euphorbia preussii Pax Euphorbia stuhlmannii Pax |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Much-branched annual or short-lived perennial herb, up to 2 m high, completely hairless (in this variety), or pubescent with long crisped hairs at least on the stem below the leaves. Leaves sessile, usually crowded and leaving prominent scars, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, up to 15 cm long, hairless or sparsely hairy on the lower surface; margin entire. Inflorescences axillary and in terminal 3–15-branched umbels forking many times with primary rays to 15 cm long. Bracts sessile, deltoid or occasionally 3-lobed, 1–4 cm long, bracts below the umbel similar to the leaves. Flowers on peduncles 0.5–3 mm long, 2 × 2 mm with cup-shaped involucres, hairless or occasionally sparsely hairy; glands 4, spreading, transversely elliptic to kidney-shaped 1.5–2 mm wide, 2-horned with horns 0.5–1.5 mm long, green becoming brownish-red; lobes 0.5 mm long, shallowly 2-toothed at the apex, ciliate at the margin. Capsule exserted on a reflexed pedicel up to 5.5 mm long, deeply 3-lobed with truncate base, up to 4.5 mm wide, hairless or sparsely pilose. |
Notes: | See also var. pubescens and var. velutina for comparison. |
Derivation of specific name: | schimperiana: although several other persons named Schimper are known in botanical history most species and genera are likely named after Georg Heinrich Wilhelm Schimper (1804-1878) who collected mainly in Ethiopia. |
Habitat: | Along margins and in clearings in montane and submontane forest and grassland. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 760 - 2180 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in Africa. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | W,E |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 146. Carter, S. & Leach, L.C. (2001). Euphorbiaceae: subfamily Euphorbioideae: tribe Euphorbieae Flora Zambesiaca 9(5) Pages 368 - 369. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 26. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 17. 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 41. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 49. |
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