Justicia elegantula S. Moore

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Justicia elegantula

Photo: Bart Wursten
Greystone Park Nature Reserve, Harare

Justicia elegantula

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland, nr the bridge

Justicia elegantula

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland, nr the bridge

Justicia elegantula

Photo: Bart Wursten
Haka Game Park

Justicia elegantula

Photo: Bart Wursten
Haka Game Park

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

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


Other sources of information about Justicia elegantula:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Justicia elegantula
Flora of Mozambique: Justicia elegantula
Flora of Zambia: Justicia elegantula

External websites:

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


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: Justicia elegantula.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=154430, retrieved 29 March 2024

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