Aneilema zebrinum Chiov.

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Photo: Adriaan Jordaan
c. 19.2 km W of Bela Vista along road 202, c. 150 m South of turn-off on to sand track, Matutuine district, Maputo Province.

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Synonyms:	Ballya zebrina (Chiov.) Brenan
Common names:
Frequency:	So far very local
Status:	Native
Description:	Mat-forming perennial herb with prostrate fleshy stems. Leaves sessile, fleshy, ovate to ovate-elliptic, 10-35 mm long, velvety, with distinctly pale veins above and often mottled with maroon. Flowers axillary, 7-10 mm wide; all 3 petals well-developed, lilac; median petal cup-shaped; filaments fused at the base. Capsules obovate-elliptic, 3-4 mm long, 3-locular, mostly indehiscent.
Notes:	This species is a very recent (2017) new addition for the Mozambique checklist and for the entire Flora Zambesiaca region. It had been collected a few times from South Africa near the Mozambique border and was expected to be in neighbouring Mozambique as well. Since the species is known to occur from Ethiopia to Tanzania it is well possible that it is more widespread in Mozambique but has until now been overlooked.
Derivation of specific name:	zebrinum: zebra-striped, referring to the distinct pale striping of the leaves by the veins.
Habitat:	In mostly bare soil under shrubs in thickets.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Dec - Jul
Worldwide distribution:	Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal South Africa.
Mozambique distribution:	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:	Sunday 5 March 2017
Literature:	Agnew, A.D.Q. (2013). Upland Kenya Wild Flowers and Ferns Nature Kenya - The East Africa Natural History Society Pages 360 - 361. Brenan, J.P.M. (1964). Notes on African Commelinaceae: IV; Ballya, a new genus from East Africa. Kew Bulletin 19 Pages 64 - 68. as Ballya zebrina (Includes a picture). Faden, R.B. (1991). The Morphology and Taxonomy of Aneilema R. Brown (Commelinaceae) Smithsonian Contributions to Botany Number 76 Smithsonian Institution Press Pages 140 - 143. (Includes a picture). Obermeyer, A.A. & Faden, R.B. (1985). Commelinaceae Flora of Southern Africa 4(2) Pages 40 - 42. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Aneilema zebrinum:

External websites:

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