Brachystephanus africanus S. Moore
var. africanus

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Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower forested slopes below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa.

Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower forested slopes below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa.

Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower forested slopes below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa.

Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower forested slopes below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa.

Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower forested slopes below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa.

Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower forested slopes below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa.

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Brachystephanus bequaertii De Wild.
Common names:
Frequency: Very rare in Zimbabwe.
Status: Native
Description:
Erect, perennial shrub-like herb, up to c. 2.5 m high. Leaves opposite, 11-18 cm long, elliptic to ovate, hairless above, more or less densely hairy beneath; margin entire or shallowly crenate; petiole 1-4 cm long. Inflorescences in erect terminal and axillary spikes, 9-19 cm long, flowers appearring from tightly overlapping bracts. Corolla 2-lipped, pink violet, mauve or white; tube 2.5-3.5 cm long; stamens and style long exserted.
Notes: Very rare in Zimbabwe, where it has been recorded from Mermaids Grotto in Chimanimani. There is serious threat of this area having been cleared and the plants might no longer be there.
Derivation of specific name: africanus: African
Habitat: In the understorey of evergreen forest
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: DRC, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe distribution: E
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status: Critically Endangered
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated: Tuesday 6 February 2007
Literature:

Champluvier, D. & Darbyshire, I. (2009). A revision of the genera Brachystephanus and Oreacanthus (Acanthaceae) in tropical Africa Systematics and Geography of Plants 79(2) Pages 157 - 161. (Includes a picture).

Darbyshire, I., Vollesen, K. & Kelbessa, E. (2015). Acanthaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 8(6) Pages 142 - 144. (Includes a picture).

Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 21. As Brachystephanus africanus

Figueiredo, E. & Jury, S.L. (1996). Notes on Brachystephanus (Acanthaceae) Kew Bulletin 51(4) Pages 753 - 756. Zimbabwe and Mozambique not cited in the distribution

Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 161.

Harris, T., Darbyshire, I. & Polhill, R. (2011). New species and range extensions from Mt Namuli, Mt Mabu and Mt Chiperone in northern Mozambique Kew Bulletin 66(2) Page 248.

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 13.

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 33.

Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 72.

White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 113 - 115.


Other sources of information about Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus
Flora of Mozambique: Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=154400, retrieved 28 March 2024

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