Home | > | List of families | > | Iridaceae | > | Aristea | > | abyssinica |
Synonyms: |
Aristea alata Baker subsp. abyssinica (Pax) Weim. Aristea cognata N.E. Br. ex Weim. Aristea johnstoniana Rendle |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial herb, 12-30 cm tall, often of much smaller size than related species, especially at higher altitudes. Leaves several, linear, 2-5 mm wide, all basal except for 1 short leaf, 3-5 cm long near the apex of the compressed, broadly winged, unbranched stem. Flowers in 1-3 subsessile, 4-flowered, (sub)terminal clusters, blue. Capsule 7-9 mm long, ovoid-obovoid. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | abyssinica: of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) |
Habitat: | In (sub)montane grassland, often on shallow soil overlying rock. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Above 1500 m |
Flowering time: | Dec - Feb |
Worldwide distribution: | DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa as far as Eastern Cape. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | E |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Thursday 10 January 2019 |
Literature: |
Goldblatt, P. (1993). Iridaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(4) Pages 6 - 8. (Includes a picture). 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 92. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 11 - 12. As Aristea alata (Includes a picture). Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 109. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 83. |
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