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Synonyms: |
Raphanocarpus kirkii Hook. f. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial scrambler or climber. Stems annual, prostrate or scandent, growing from a tuberous rootstock. Tendrils simple. Leaves shallowly 5-lobed with short triangular lobes, giving the leaf a near-pentagonal outline. Base deeply cordate. Flowers solitary, axillary, unisexual on the same plant. Peduncles adnate to the leaf petioles, each flower appearing to arise from a leaf. Corolla bright orange; lobes obovate-obcuneate, bilobed. Male flowers 3.5-6 cm in diameter, much larger than female flowers. Fruit small, fusiform, ribbed, pubescent particularly on the ribs. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | kirkii: named after Dr John Kirk, who accompanied David Livingstone on his Zambezi expedition of 1858 |
Habitat: | On sandy soils in deciduous and semi-deciduous woodland and wooded grassland. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1000 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Caprivi-Namibia. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,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: | Monday 1 February 2016 |
Literature: |
Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 39. Jeffrey, C. (1978). Cucurbitaceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 428 - 429. 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 38. Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 136, plate 177 Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 53. |
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