Home | > | List of families | > | Acanthaceae | > | Lepidagathis | > | scariosa |
Synonyms: |
Lepidagathis sciaphila S. Moore Lepidagathis terminalis Nees Ruellia aristata Vahl Volkensiophyton neuracanthoides Lindau |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Much branched perennial herb or subshrub up to 120 cm tall; stems with dense pale buff to golden stellate or dendritic hairs; leaves ovate(-lanceolate) or oblong-elliptic, 2.8-9 x 1-3.6 cm, stellate pubescent; inflorescences in terminal fasciculate to spiciform cymes compounded into globose or conical heads 1.5-4.5 cm long; calyx purple tinged in distal half, scarious; corolla 19-22 mm long, pink to purple or rarely white with numerous long hairs on lobes; capsule 8.5-10 mm long; seeds 2-3 x 1.8-2.7 mm. |
Type location: |
India |
Notes: | Plants from N Zambia are of the form previously separated as L. sciaphila for which the leaves are oblong-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate with ± prominent reticulate venation beneath and the stems have a golden-yellow indumentum. |
Derivation of specific name: | scariosa:from scarious meaning thin, dry or parchment-like |
Habitat: | In miombo and mopane woodland, associated grassland, often on rocky hillsides. |
Altitude range: | 600 - 1400 m |
Flowering time: | Mar - Aug |
Worldwide distribution: | Mali, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, DRC, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola. Also in Arabia and India. |
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): | N,W,C,E,S |
Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Lp,N,Mc,E,C,Lk,S |
Growth form(s): | Perennial. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Tuesday 6 July 2021 |
Literature: |
Darbyshire, I., Vollesen, K. & Kelbessa, E. (2015). Acanthaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 8(6) Pages 22 - 23. 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. |
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