Cryptostephanus vansonii I. Verd.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Forested slopes below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:	Local
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb growing from a short rhizome with fleshy roots. Leaves strap-shaped, up to 53 cm long and c. 2.5 cm wide. Flowering stem up to 27 cm long, flattened with sharply edged narrow wings. Inflorescence up to 40-flowered. Flowers white, often pink-tinged; perianth segments, up to 1.5 cm long. Fruit a subglobose red berry, c. 4 mm wide.
Notes:	An uncommon relative of the well-known Clivia miniata.
Derivation of specific name:	vansonii: named after Mr. Van Son, who first flowered a collected specimen in his Pretoria garden, before it had been described.
Habitat:	In forests, where it grows on rocks and in leaflitter on the forest floor.
Altitude range:	1400 - 2000 m
Flowering time:	Oct - Nov
Worldwide distribution:	Border mountains of Zimbabwe and Mozambique but also on Mt Gorongosa and Mt Mabu.
Mozambique distribution:	Z,MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Tuesday 8 June 2010
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 18. Darbyshire, I., Timberlake, J., Osborne, J., Rokni, S., Matimele, H., Langa. C., Datizua, C., de Sousa, C., Alves, T., Massingue, A., Hadj-Hammou, J., Dhanda, S., Shah, T., Wursten, B. (2019). The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status Phytotaxa 136 Page 76. 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 84. 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 71. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 80. Zimudzi, C., Archer, R.H., Kwembeya, E.G. & Nordal, I. (2008). Amaryllidacae Flora Zambesiaca 13(1) Pages 101 - 102. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Cryptostephanus vansonii:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Cryptostephanus vansonii

External websites:

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