Synonyms: |
Buchnera bilabiata Thunb. Striga thunbergii Benth. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | Locally frequent |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Erect, annual herb, 10-55 cm tall. It is a root parasite of grasses. Stems usually unbranched, pubescent with whitish hairs. Leaves opposite, erect along the stem, linear-lanceolate, 5-20 mm long, with rough, thick-based hairs. Flowers in dense terminal spikes, several flowers open at the same time. Bracts lanceolate, imbricate, ciliate hairy on margins and midrib. Calyx tube 2-3 mm long; lobes distinctly 5-veined. Corolla more or less distinctly 2-lipped, pink, violet or whitish; tube up to 11 mm long, angled just below the lobes; lower lobes c. 4 mm long, all narrow. Capsule c. 3 × 1.5 mm. |
Type location: |
South Africa |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | bilabiata: 2-lipped. |
Habitat: | Grassland |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
Flowering time: | Oct - Feb and May - June. |
Worldwide distribution: | Angola, Botswana, Namibia, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Mpumalanga, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Other varieties occur in East and West Africa. |
FZ divisions: | MS,M |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Monday 30 March 2015 |
Literature: |
Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 182. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 53. As Striga bilabiata bilabiata Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 34. As Striga bilabiata bilabiata Fischer, E. & Hofmann, H.P. (2025). Orobanchaceae Flore d'Afrique Centrale Nouvelle Serie Jardin Botanique Meise, Belgique Pages 29 - 32. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 327. (Includes a picture). 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 78. Under Scrophulariaceae Philcox, D. (1990). Scrophulariaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(2) Pages 128 - 129. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 105. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 226. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 96. |