Home | > | List of families | > | Acanthaceae | > | Justicia | > | elegantula |
Synonyms: | |
Common names: | Spring posy (English) |
Frequency: | Common |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial herb, often much branched from the base with erect or prostrate annual stems to c.25 cm, from a stout woody rootstock. Young shoots with small succulent radical leaves. Leaves oblanceolate or lanceolate to broadly ovate. Flowers few together in leaf axils. Calyx lobes 5-9 mm at flowering stage. Corolla crimson to purple, 10.2-14.5 mm with a purple-white pattern at lower lip near throat. Capsule 5.5-8.2 mm, glabrous to densely hairy. |
Notes: | This is an attractive, early-flowering species, often very noticeable in burnt areas. See Justicia phyllostachys for comparison. |
Derivation of specific name: | elegantula: elegant, pretty |
Habitat: | In open grassland, woodlands, rocky areas, often in places which are seasonally burnt. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 1000 - 1600 m |
Flowering time: | Aug - Oct |
Worldwide distribution: | DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,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 |
Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 23. Darbyshire, I., Vollesen, K. & Kelbessa, E. (2015). Acanthaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 8(6) Pages 207 - 208. Hedrén, M. (1990). The Justicia elegantula complex (Acanthaceae) in tropical Africa Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 103(3) 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. Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 128, plate 169 |
Home | > | List of families | > | Acanthaceae | > | Justicia | > | elegantula |