Stathmostelma spectabile (N.E. Br.) Schltr.
subsp. spectabile

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Stathmostelma spectabile subsp. spectabile

Photo: Helen Barrett
Ziwa ruins, Nyanga

Photo: Bart Wursten
Karoi-Chirundu road near Makuti.

Photo: Anonymous
Kildonan Siding on Mapinga Road

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tingwa Raphia Palm Botanical Reserve

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

Synonyms:	Asclepias spectabilis N.E. Br.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb with annual stems, growing from a vertical tuberous rootstock. Stems several, with milky latex, mostly unbranched, up to 50-150 cm tall, erect, densely pubescent with short white hairs. Leaves opposite, petiolate, elliptic-oblong to ovate, up to 10-24 cm long, densely covered with white spreading hairs on both surfaces. Flowers in extra-axillary 4-12-flowered erect umbels on a peduncle 3-10 cm long. Corolla lobes spreading, hairless or pubescent towards the tip on the outside, minutely papillose inside. Corona lobes erect, 8-12 mm long, somewhat fleshy, concave and rounded at the apex, often with a tooth in the cavity of the corona lobes. Fruit a single follicle, ovoid to fusiform, beaked, smooth or slightly ridged longitudinally, densely pubescent, erect on a straight pedicel.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	spectabile: noteworthy, spectacular
Habitat:	In seasonally waterlogged grassy areas in mixed deciduous or Brachystegia woodland, often on rocky ground or limestone.
Altitude range: (metres)	600 - 1900 m
Flowering time:	Dec - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,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:	Thursday 5 October 2017
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 100 - 101. (Includes a picture). Binns, B. (1968). A First Check List of the Herbaceous Flora of Malawi The Government Printer, Zomba, Malawi Page 22. Goyder, D.J. (1998). A revision of the African genus Stathmostelma K. Schum. Kew Bulletin 53 Pages 583 - 585. Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Apocynaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 284 - 286. (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 22. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 48.

Other sources of information about Stathmostelma spectabile subsp. spectabile:

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Flora of Malawi: Stathmostelma spectabile subsp. spectabile
Flora of Mozambique: Stathmostelma spectabile subsp. spectabile
Flora of Zambia: Stathmostelma spectabile subsp. spectabile

External websites:

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