Thunbergia petersiana Lindau

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Morumbodzi Falls, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
Path from Nhago Camp to nearby settlement, Coutada 12

Photo: Bart Wursten
Chironde area, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road to Mpawe Village, Coutada 12, Cheringoma

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Synonyms:	Thunbergia chrysops sensu Klotzsch Thunbergia mollis Lindau Thunbergia swynnertonii S. Moore var. cordata S. Moore Thunbergia torrei Benoist
Common names:
Frequency:	Locally common
Status:	Native
Description:	Erect or semi-prostrate perennial. Stems several, up to 1 m long, 4-angled, arising from a creeping rootstock. Leaves: petiole 2-14 cm long; lamina ovate to heart-shaped, up to 5-16 × 3-11 cm, glossy, palmately veined, glabrous to densely puberulous and sometimes with longer setose hairs; base cordate with hastate lobes; margin entire or with up to 3 large teeth each side. Flowers solitary or in racemes arising from lower axils. Bracteoles 1.3-2.6 cm, pale green with conspicuous dark green reticulation. Calyx 1-3 mm long. Corolla limb deep blue or deep purple (rarely white or pale blue); throat yellow; tube (2-)3-4.8 cm long (over 4 cm if corolla white). Capsule 8-10 mm wide; beak 13-18 mm long.
Notes:	What was thought to be a white-flowered form of this species has now been separated as Thunbergia usambarica. T. petersiana is very similar to T. natalensis and T. oblongifolia, from which it is easily distinguished by the broad, irregularly dentate leaves.
Derivation of specific name:	petersiana: named after Professor Wilhelm Peters (1815-1863) of Berlin who collected in Mozambique in the early 19th century.
Habitat:	At lower altitudes, below 1100 m, in riverine forest.
Altitude range:	60 - 1100 m
Flowering time:	Nov - Feb
Worldwide distribution:	From Sudan, Congo, Burundi southwards through East Africa to Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,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:	Monday 21 May 2018
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 134 - 135. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 54. Also as Thunbergia mollis Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 55. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 20. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 178. 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 15. Vollesen, K. (2013). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 8(5) Pages 35 - 36.

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Flora of Burundi: Thunbergia petersiana
Flora of Malawi: Thunbergia petersiana
Flora of Zambia: Thunbergia petersiana
Flora of Zimbabwe: Thunbergia petersiana

External websites:

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