Home | > | List of families | > | Iridaceae | > | Hesperantha | > | petitiana |
Synonyms: |
Geissorhiza alpina Hook. f. Ixia petitiana A. Rich. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial herb, 8-30 cm tall. Leaves 3-4, the lower 2(-3) basal and longer than the others; the upper leaf inserted about the middle of the stem. Spike 2-6-flowered, the flowers borne erect. Floral bracts 12-15 mm long, the outer bracts with the margins free to the base. Flowers pink, lilac or white; perianth tube 6-9 mm, cylindric and straight. |
Notes: | Appears to be the first record of this species for Mozambique. Tina Meikle reports that her plants opened in the early morning and were closed by 10 am. |
Derivation of specific name: | petitiana: after Antoine Petit (?-1843), French naturalist and botanist who traveled in Ethiopia in 1838. He was killed by a crocodile in the Tacazze River in 1843. |
Habitat: | In rocky areas, on cliffs or in grassland. |
Altitude range: | |
Flowering time: | Feb - Apr |
Worldwide distribution: | Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, (possibly Zambia), Zimbabwe and Mozambique |
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: | Thursday 22 May 2014 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 313. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 31. Goldblatt, P. (1993). Iridaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(4) Pages 59 - 61. (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 13 - 14. (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 111. |
Home | > | List of families | > | Iridaceae | > | Hesperantha | > | petitiana |