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Synonyms: |
Dipteracanthus patulus (Jacq.) Nees |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | Frequent |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial herb, mostly decumbent, sometimes shrubby. Stems up to c. 60 cm long, trailing to erect, almost hairless, velvety or hairy, especially when young, sometimes with stalked glands. Leaves opposite, ovate to more or less narrowly elliptic, 1-6 cm long, sparsely to densely velvety, particularly along the veins, sometimes with scattered capitate glands; petiole 2-32 mm long. Flowers axillary, solitary or 3-5 together. Calyx 3-8 mm long; lobes narrowly triangular. Corolla short-lived, falling in the morning, white, mauve or purple; tube 10-34 mm long, widening at the throat; lobes 4-15 mm, more or less broadly ovate-elliptic; margin entire to crenate-dentate. Capsule clavate, 11-22 mm long, hairless. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | patula: open, extended or spreading, referring to the growth habit. |
Habitat: | In a wide variety of grassland, bush, riverine and woodland habitats. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1400 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Niger, CAR, DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. Also in Egypt, Saoudi-Arabia, Yemen Oman and India. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | Zizula hylax (Food plant) Junonia terea elgiva (Food plant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Friday 23 March 2012 |
Literature: |
Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Pages 193 - 194. (Includes a picture). Champluvier, D. (1985). Acanthaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume III Page 483. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 48. Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 390 - 391. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 332. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 43. (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 15. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 19. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 19. Vollesen, K. (2009). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 206 - 208. (Includes a picture). Vollesen, K. (2013). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 8(5) Pages 138 - 140. (Includes a picture). |
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