Dissotis johnstoniana Baker f.
var. johnstoniana

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Plateau below Namuli peak, Serra de Gurue

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:	Local
Status:	Native
Description:	Much-branched shrub, 1.5-3 m high. Branches bluntly 4-angled, often purplish and bristly hairy near the apex. Leaves concentrated along the apical part of the branches, opposite, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 5.5-14 cm long, 5-7-veined, dark green to purplish above and rough, bristly hairy above, much paler yellowish-green and much more sparsely hairy beneath; margin minutely denticulate-ciliate; petiole up to 2.5 cm long. Inflorescences in terminal, pyramidal branched heads up to 24 cm long. Flowers 5-merous,deep-violet to blackish-purple.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	johnstonii: after Sir Henry (Harry) Hamilton Johnston (1858-1927), British administrator and explorer, who collected flora and fauna specimens in many parts of Africa. His best known discovery likely is the okapi, which he first found and
Habitat:	Rocky margins of forest and montane grassland.
Altitude range:	1800 - 2100 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Only known from Mt Mulanje in Malawi and Mt Namuli in Mozambique.
Mozambique distribution:	Z
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Near Endemic
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Tuesday 18 September 2012
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 56 - 57. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 705. (Includes a picture). 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 86. 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 90. Fernandes, R. & A. (1961). Contribution to the knowledge of the MELASTOMATOIDEAE of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Kirkia 1 Page 72. Fernandes, R. & A. (1978). Melastomataceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 255 - 256. Strugnell, A.M. (2002). Endemics of Mt. Mulanje. The endemic spermatophytes of Mt. Mulanje, Malawi Systematics and Geography of Plants 72 Page 21. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 120. White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Page 356.

Other sources of information about Dissotis johnstoniana var. johnstoniana:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Dissotis johnstoniana var. johnstoniana

External websites:

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