Lobelia fervens Thunb.
subsp. fervens

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (12)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along footpath from Zomba to Magorogodo

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nhahomba area, Chimanimani National Reserve

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:	Lobelia asperulata Klotzsch Lobelia humilis Klotzsch Lobelia madagascariensis Roem. & Schult. Lobelia mearnsii De Wild. Lobelia odontoptera Schltr. Lobelia petersiana Klotzsch Lobelia pterocaulon Klotzsch Lobelia subulata Klotzsch
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Annual or short–lived perennial, erect, ascending or decumbent herb, 10–60 cm tall. Stems often rooting at lower nodes, sparsely branched, triangular and broadly winged, usually hairless. Leaves linear or narrowly elliptic to ovate, up to 20–50 mm long, narrowing upwards, hairless or rarely pubescent, midvein prominent beneath; petiole–like base up to 5 mm long; margin serrate–crenate. Flowers in long lax terminal and axillary leafy racemes; pedicels up 5–13 mm long, hairless, papillose or pubescent; upper bracts linear to narrowly elliptic, often longer than pedicels. Calyx–lobes narrowly triangular to subulate, more or less erect, spreading, or recurved in fruit, 1·2–5 mm long, entire or rarely with a single tooth at the margin. Corolla 4–11 mm long, blue with darker markings, split to less than 1 mm from the base on the back, hairless outside, papillose or short pubescent inside on the bottom of the tube. Capsule narrowly obconical to subspherical, c. 8–veined, hairless or rarely pubescent, with 2 valves 0·6–1·2 mm long, inferior part of capsule 2·4–6 mm long.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	Usually in damp places in grassland, along forest margins, road sides, stream sides or on coastal sand.
Altitude range:	0 - 580 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Comoro Islands, Reunion and Madagascar. Apparently introduced in Brazil.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,T,MS,M
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:	Saturday 8 February 2020
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 37. As Lobelia fervens 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 80. As Lobelia fervens 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 58. Under Lobeliaceae Thulin, M. (1983). Lobeliaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 132 - 133.

Other sources of information about Lobelia fervens subsp. fervens:

Our websites:

Flora of Zimbabwe: Lobelia fervens subsp. fervens

External websites:

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