Dianella ensifolia (L.) DC.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Mt Magorogodo, Zomba Community, Chimanimani Conservation Area.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes of Mt Shangani, Mandzundzu, Chimanimani Conservation Area.

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Synonyms:	Dianella ensata (Thunb.) R.J.F. Hend. Dianella nemorosa Lam. Dracaena ensata Thunb. Dracaena ensifolia L.
Common names:	Harebell (English)
Frequency:	Local
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb up to 1.5 m tall, growing from a woody, horizontal rhizome, often forming dense colonies. Leaves 5-12, distichous, up to 50 cm long; basal part folded lengthwise, flattened, like a pseudopetiole; margin and midrib narrowly winged and bearing small forwardly pointing prickles. Inflorescence a lax panicle, taller than the leaves. Tepals 5-7 mm, pale mauve-blue. Fruit up to 8 mm in diameter, subspherical, glossy blue.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	ensifolia: sword-leaved.
Habitat:	In deep shade in lowland evergreen forest, often near streams and rivers.
Altitude range:	350 - 1400 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	In Africa only known from the slower slopes of the Chimanimani Mountains in Mozambique and Zimbabwe but elsewhere in Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion and possibly other western Indian Ocean Islands, Noerthwest India and adjacent areas in Asia.
Mozambique distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 21 March 2015
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 20. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 168. Goodier, R. & Phipps, J.B. (1961). A revised checklist of the vascular plants of the Chimanimani Mountains Kirkia 1 Page 51. In family Liliaceae 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 90. Timberlake, J., Darbyshire, I., Wursten, B., Hadj-Hammou, J., Ballings, P., Mapaura, A., Matimele, H., Banze, A., Chipanga, H., Muassinar, D., Massunde, J., Chelene, I., Osborne, J., Shah, T. (2016). Chimanimani Mountains: Botany and Conservation. Report produced under CEPF Grant 63512. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. Page 52. 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. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 81. Zimudzi, C. & Pope, G.V. (2001). Hemerocallidaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(3) Pages 100 - 101. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Dianella ensifolia:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Dianella ensifolia

External websites:

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