Asclepias graminifolia (Wild) Goyder

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes towards Mt Nhamedimu, Chimanimani Mts

Photo: Petra Ballings
Slopes below summit of Mt Nhamudima, Chimanimani mountains, Sussundenga Dist.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes below summit of Mt Nhamudima, Chimanimani mountains, Sussundenga Dist.

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Synonyms:	Pachycarpus graminifolius Wild Trachycalymma graminifolium (Wild) Goyder
Common names:
Frequency:	Local
Status:	Native
Description:	Erect perennial with annual stems, up to 60 cm tall. Stem with milky sap, simple or branched, minutely pubescent with white spreading hairs. Leaves opposite, very shortly petiolate, linear, 8-16 cm long with prominent veins and white spreading hairs above and on the midrib below; margin entire, softly pubescent. Flowers in extra-axillary, 3-6-flowered, nodding umbels. Corolla dull purple with paler margins, sparsely pubescent towards the apex outside, hairless on the inside. Corona lobes spreading, channelled along most of the length and the tip slightly turned up, white, sometimes with purple sides, without a tooth in the cavity; upper margins densely papillate. Fruit a single follicle, narrowly ovoid, up to c. 6 × 1 cm (possibly larger), erect on a contorted pedicel, smooth, densely pubescent.
Notes:	Specimens in the images above (Matimele 2092 & Timberlake 5977) are the first records for Mozambique.
Derivation of specific name:	graminifolia: with grass-like leaves.
Habitat:	On rocky ground in quartzite grasslands.
Altitude range:	1600 - 2200 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Chimanimani Mountains, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Mozambique distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:	Lower Risk - near threatened
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 22 November 2014
Literature:	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 80. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 171. as Trachycalymma graminifolius Goyder, D.J. (2001). A revision of the tropical African genus Trachycalymma (K. Schum.) Bullock Kew Bulletin 56 Pages 141 - 144. (Includes a picture). Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Apocynaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 269 - 270. Mapaura, A. (2002). Endemic Plant Species of Zimbabwe. Kirkia 18(1) Page 133. as Trachycalymma graminifolius 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 22. as Trachycalymma graminifolium Wild, H. (1964). The endemic species of the Chimanimani Mountains and their significance Kirkia 4 Page 148. Protologue as Pachycarpus graminifolius Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 88.

Other sources of information about Asclepias graminifolia:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Asclepias graminifolia

External websites:

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