Home | > | List of families | > | Acanthaceae | > | Lepidagathis | > | scariosa |
Synonyms: |
Lepidagathis sciaphila S. Moore Lepidagathis terminalis Nees Ruellia aristata Vahl Volkensiophyton neuracanthoides Lindau |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Much-branched perennial herb or small shrub, up to 1 m high. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, 2.8-9 cm long, pale stellate-pubescent, more densely so beneath particularly on the veins; petiole up to 7.5 mm long. Inflorescence terminal, sessile, in spike-like cymes combined into a globose or conical head, up to 4.5 cm long. Bracts subtending the heads leaf-like, rhombic, ovate or lanceolate, often expanded at the base, stellate-pubescent. Floral bracts brown to purplish, elliptic-obovate to oblong-lanceolate, 4-14 mm long mucronate or aristate at the apex, with few to many long pale hairs at least on the margin. Calyx purple-tinged; lobes aristate, densely long hairy and with short glandular hairs. Corolla 19022 mm long, pink to purple, rarely white; tube 10.5-13 mm long; lobes with long hairs. Capsule 8.5-10 mm long, shortly pubescent at the apex. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | scariosa:from scarious meaning thin, dry or parchment-like |
Habitat: | In miombo and mopane woodland, associated grassland, often on rocky hillsides. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 600 - 1400 m |
Flowering time: | Mar - Aug |
Worldwide distribution: | Mali, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, DRC, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola. Also in Arabia and India. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,S |
Growth form(s): | Perennial. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Thursday 22 October 2015 |
Literature: |
Darbyshire, I., Vollesen, K. & Kelbessa, E. (2015). Acanthaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 8(6) Pages 22 - 23. 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 14. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 19. |
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