Heterotis canescens (E. Mey. ex R.A. Graham) Jacq.-Fél.

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Picture: Bart Wursten
By Juliasdale to Mutare rd, N of Nyakupinga river bridge

Picture: Bart Wursten
Below dam wall, Cleveland Dam

Picture: Bart Wursten
Chakoma, NE of Harare

Picture: Bart Wursten
Path to Hadange Gorge, Chimanimani

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Synonyms:	Dissotis canescens (R. A. Graham) Hook. f. Dissotis incana (Naudin) Triana Osbeckia canescens E. Mey. ex R.A. Graham
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb with annual stems up to 1.5 m tall, usually smaller. Stems unbranched or sparsely branched, purple-red, 4-angled, hairy. Leaves opposite, linear-oblong to ovate-oblong, up to 7.5 cm long, dark green or purple-brownish green above, greyish green below, 3-5- veined from the base; margin entire or rarely finely serrate. Flowers in dense clusters in the upper leaf axils, together forming compact terminal heads, pink to bright purple. Anthers dimorphous. Fruit c. 7 × 5.5 mm, crowned by the persistent sepals.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	canescens: becoming greyish, referring to the whitish hairs covering parts of the plant.
Habitat:	In marshy areas, vleis and along streams, often forming extensive colonies in suitable habitat.
Altitude range:	Up to 1660 m
Flowering time:	Dec - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical and South Africa
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	N,W,C,E
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Nw,N,E,C,Lk
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 56 - 57. as Dissotis canescens (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 22. As Dissortis canescens Fernandes, R. & A. (1961). Contribution to the knowledge of the MELASTOMATOIDEAE of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Kirkia 1 Pages 73 - 74. as Dissotis canescens Fernandes, R. & A. (1978). Melastomataceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 251 - 252. As Dissotis canescens 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 61. as Dissotis canescens Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 85, plate 116 Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Pages 119 - 120. as Dissotis canescens Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 95.

Other sources of information about Heterotis canescens:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Heterotis canescens
Flora of Mozambique: Heterotis canescens
Flora of Zimbabwe: Heterotis canescens

External websites:

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