Chironia purpurascens (E. Mey.) Benth. & Hook. f.
subsp. humilis (Gilg) I. Verd.

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Chironia purpurascens subsp. humilis

Photo: Bart Wursten
Rhodes Dam, Nyanga National Park

Chironia purpurascens subsp. humilis

Photo: Bart Wursten
By road from Nyanga to Troutbeck

Chironia purpurascens subsp. humilis

Photo: Bart Wursten
By road from Nyanga to Troutbeck

Chironia purpurascens subsp. humilis

Photo: Bart Wursten
By road from Nyanga to Troutbeck

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Chironia humilis Gilg
Chironia humilis Gilg var. wilmsii (Gilg) Prain
Chironia humilis Gilg var. zuluensis Prain
Chironia wilmsii Gilg
Common names: Dwarf chironia (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Erect biennial or perennial herb up to c. 50 cm tall. Stem slender, 4-ridged, mostly unbranched. Leaves at the base more or less in a rosette, linear-lanceolate, up to 7 × 1 cm, usually no longer present at flowering time; leaves along the stem opposite, oblong-elliptic, up to 6 × 1 cm. Flowers in a lax terminal cyme, bright pink, pink-mauve or rarely white, c. 2 cm in diameter. Fruit an oblong-ovoid capsule, up to 7 × 3.5mm.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat: In damp grassy areas and vlei margins, forming colonies in suitable habitats.
Altitude range: (metres) 1100 - 1900 m
Flowering time:Nov - Feb
Worldwide distribution: Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa. Subsp. purpurascens occurs in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Eswatini.
Zimbabwe distribution: W,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated: Wednesday 22 July 2015
Literature:

Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 300 - 301. (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 53.

Paiva, J. & Nogueira, I. (1990). Gentianaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(4) Page 35.

Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 89, plate 121

Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 414 - 415. as Chironia purpurascens (Includes a picture).

Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 216 - 217. (Includes a picture).


Other sources of information about Chironia purpurascens subsp. humilis:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Chironia purpurascens subsp. humilis

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Chironia purpurascens subsp. humilis.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=144800, retrieved 29 March 2024

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