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Glossostelma lisianthoides (Decne.) Bullock

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Synonyms:	Asclepias congolensis De Wild Asclepias dissoluta (K. Schum.) Schltr. Asclepias lisianthoides (Decne.) N. E. Br. Asclepias nemorensis S. Moore Gomphocarpus chironioides Decne. Gomphocarpus lisianthoides Decne. Schizoglossum macroglossum K.Schum. Schizoglossum violaceum K.Schum. Xysmalobium dissolutum K. Schum. Xysmalobium fritillarioides Rendle
Common names:
Frequency:	Rare
Status:	Native
Description:	Slender erect herb to 70 cm. Leaves linear, spreading, 2-3 × 0.1-0.2 cm on lower portion of stem, 5.5-18 × 0.1-0.7 cm above, apex acute, tapering gradually into the sessile or subsessile base, glabrous, margins smooth, lateral veins inconspicuous. Umbels with 1-4 nodding flowers. Peduncles 2-35 mm long, apparently lengthening with age, entirely glabrous or pubescent on one side; bracts 2-6.5 mm long, filiform, deciduous. Pedicels 10-28 mm long, glabrous or pubescent on one side only. Calyx lobes 3-5 × 1-1.5 mm, narrowly triangular, acute. Corolla spreading-campanulate, lobed to c.1 mm from the base, greenish yellow or cream within, suffused with pink or brown outside; lobes 10-13 × 5-7 mm, ovate- oblong, obtuse . Corona lobes 4-5 mm long, attached c.2 mm above the base of the gynostegium, the lower half of the lobes bulbous and roughly orbicular when fresh, appearing channelled on the inner surface in dried material, upper half of lobe narrowed abruptly to an oblong tongue, c.2×1 mm, truncate or shortly bifid at the apex and inflexed over the head of the gynostegium. Anther appendages membranous, c.1.5 × 1.5 mm, ovate. Corpusculum 0.3 mm long; translator arms c.0.3 mm long, extremely slender; pollinia sickle-shaped, c.0.7 × 0.3 mm, attached apically to the translator arms. Follicles 8-11 × 0.8-1.2 cm, slender, lanceolate with an attenuate apex, glabrous or puberulent. Seeds c. 5 × 4 mm, ovate; coma 3.5-4 cm long.
Type location:	Angola
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	lisianthoides: resembling Lisianthus, a genus in Gentianaceae
Habitat:	Miombo woodland and grassland.
Altitude range: (metres)	500 - 1500 m
Flowering time:	Nov - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, DRC, Gabon, Zambia and Malawi
FZ divisions:	N,W,C,E
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Nw,N,Lk,E
Growth form(s):	Perennial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Tuesday 17 March 2026
Literature:	Goyder, D.J. (1995). Notes on the African genus Glossostelma Kew Bulletin 50 Pages 535 - 537. Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Apocynaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 327 - 328.

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Flora of Malawi: Glossostelma lisianthoides

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

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