Aristea abyssinica
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Chinyakwaremba, Vumba
Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Tsetsera plateau
Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Tsetsera plateau
Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes Mt Nyangani, Nyanga National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes Mt Nyangani, Nyanga National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes Mt Nyangani, Nyanga National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes Mt Nyangani, Nyanga National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Along Circular Drive towards Mt Nyangani, Nyanga National Park.
Upland miombo woodland
Mafinga Mts., Mafinga Distr.
Jan 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman
Upland miombo woodland
Mafinga Mts., Mafinga Distr.
Jan 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman
Upland miombo woodland
Mafinga Mts., Mafinga Distr.
Jan 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Aristea alata Baker subsp. abyssinica (Pax) Weim. Aristea cognata N.E. Br. ex Weim. Aristea johnstoniana Rendle |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Perennial herb, 12-30 cm tall, often of much smaller size than related species, especially at higher altitudes. Leaves several, linear, 2-5 mm wide, all basal except for 1 short leaf, 3-5 cm long near the apex of the compressed, broadly winged, unbranched stem. Flowers in 1-3 subsessile, 4-flowered, (sub)terminal clusters, blue. Capsule 7-9 mm long, ovoid-obovoid. |
| Type location: |
Ethiopia |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | abyssinica: of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) |
| Habitat: | In (sub)montane grassland, often on shallow soil overlying rock. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | Above 1500 m |
| Flowering time: | Dec - Feb |
| Worldwide distribution: | DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa as far as Eastern Cape. |
| FZ divisions: | MS |
| 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: | Sunday 29 July 2012 |
| Literature: |
Champluvier, D. (1988). Iridaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume IV Page 102. (Includes a picture). Goldblatt, P. (1993). Iridaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(4) Pages 6 - 8. (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 92. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 11 - 12. As Aristea alata (Includes a picture). Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 142. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 109. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 83. |
Other sources of information about Aristea abyssinica:
Our websites:
Flora of Burundi: Aristea abyssinicaFlora of Malawi: Aristea abyssinica
Flora of Rwanda: Aristea abyssinica
Flora of Zambia: Aristea abyssinica
Flora of Zimbabwe: Aristea abyssinica
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Aristea abyssinicaAfrican Plant Database: Aristea abyssinica
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Aristea abyssinica
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Aristea abyssinica
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Aristea abyssinica
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iNaturalist: Aristea abyssinica
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Aristea abyssinica
JSTOR Plant Science: Aristea abyssinica
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Aristea abyssinica
Plants of the World Online: Aristea abyssinica
Tropicos: Aristea abyssinica
Wikipedia: Aristea abyssinica