Mellera lobulata S. Moore

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Picture: Bart Wursten
National Botanic garden, Harare

Picture: Bart Wursten
Along track towards Swynnerton Memorial, Chirinda Forest

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Synonyms:	Mellera angustata Lindau
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrubby, somewhat scrambling perennial herb, up to 2(-3) m tall. Leaves ovate to elliptic, up to 20 cm long, base sometimes unequally cordate, velvety, particularly along the veins below; margin subentire to coarsely toothed; petiole up to 13.5 cm long. Flowers in terminal heads up to 14 cm long; peduncles, bracts and calyces, covered with glossy hairs and sticky glandular hairs. Corolla 2.5-4 cm long, more or less 5-lobed, white to pale mauve; lower lobe broader than other lobes, with apical part much darker purple and a pleated, yellow to orange spot in the centre. Capsule 11-19 mm long with scattered stalked glands in the apical part.
Type location:	Mozambique
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	lobulata: with small lobes.
Habitat:	In the understorey and along the margins of evergreen forest, often forming dense colonies.
Altitude range:	500 - 1400 m
Flowering time:	Nov
Worldwide distribution:	CAR, DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan , Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	N
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Mc
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 19. 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. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 35. Vollesen, K. (2009). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora of Tropical East Africa Page 233. Vollesen, K. (2013). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 8(5) Pages 150 - 151. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 87.

Other sources of information about Mellera lobulata:

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Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Mellera lobulata
Flora of Malawi: Mellera lobulata
Flora of Mozambique: Mellera lobulata
Flora of Zimbabwe: Mellera lobulata

External websites:

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