Barleria capitata Klotzsch

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (13)

Photo: Bart Wursten
By road from Sinamatella to Robins Camp, Hwange NP

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road from Robins Camp to the Matetsi Safari Area gate, Hwange NP

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Barleria megalosiphon Mildbr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial spreading subshrub with decumbent to suberect stems. Leaves opposite, sometimes appearing clustered, oblong-elliptic, 2-5 cm long, grey-green, hairy, particularly on the veins and margin. Flowers in dense capitate heads with closely overlapping enlarged calyx lobes with spiny margins. Corolla actinomorphic, 5-lobed, white, tube extremely long, up to 10 cm, narrowly cylindric, yellowish, pubescent.
Notes:	A very unusual species with closely packed calyx lobes, symmetrical corolla and extremely long corolla tube. The flowers appear to open in the evening and are finished the next morning. This, together with the shape and colour of the flowers, indicate the flowers are moth-pollinated.
Derivation of specific name:	capitata: in the form of a head, capitate
Habitat:	In dry open woodland, scrub and open grassland.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Botswana, Caprivi Strip, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Mozambique distribution:	T,MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Darbyshire, I., Vollesen, K. & Kelbessa, E. (2015). Acanthaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 8(6) Pages 74 - 75. 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 13. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 17.

Other sources of information about Barleria capitata:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Barleria capitata
Flora of Caprivi: Barleria capitata
Flora of Malawi: Barleria capitata
Flora of Zambia: Barleria capitata
Flora of Zimbabwe: Barleria capitata

External websites:

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