Eriospermum kirkii
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Photo: Ton Rulkens
Valley of Zambezi River, Mapeia district, Zambezia province
Photo: Ton Rulkens
Valley of Zambezi River, Mapeia district, Zambezia province
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| Synonyms: | |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Perennial herb up to 25 cm high, 1-several growing points developing from a globose tuber. Leaves 1-2 per growing point, elliptic to lanceolate up to 10 cm long, bright green, hairless; leaf sheath above ground for up to 50 mm, dark red, becoming paler towards the leaf blade. Inflorescences 1-2 per growing point on a peduncle up to 20 cm long, 12-15-flowered. Flowers urn-shaped, c. 12 mm in diameter with tepals recurved, white to pale pink with a broad red-streaked mid-vein; stamens white. Capsule ovoid 6-8 mm long, emarginate; tepals persistent. |
| Type location: |
Mozambique |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | kirkii: named after Dr John Kirk, who accompanied David Livingstone on his Zambezi expedition of 1858 |
| Habitat: | In poor dry sandy soils on grassy flats, mopane woodland or miombo woodland. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 25 - 1000 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia. |
| FZ divisions: | Z |
| 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: | Friday 14 October 2016 |
| Literature: |
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 90. Perry, P.L. (2010). Eriospermaceae Flora Zambesiaca 13(2) Pages 6 - 7. (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Eriospermum kirkii:
Our websites:
Flora of Malawi: Eriospermum kirkiiFlora of Zambia: Eriospermum kirkii
Flora of Zimbabwe: Eriospermum kirkii
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Eriospermum kirkiiAfrican Plant Database: Eriospermum kirkii
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Eriospermum kirkii
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Eriospermum kirkii
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Eriospermum kirkii
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Eriospermum kirkii
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Eriospermum kirkii
JSTOR Plant Science: Eriospermum kirkii
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Eriospermum kirkii
Plants of the World Online: Eriospermum kirkii
Tropicos: Eriospermum kirkii
Wikipedia: Eriospermum kirkii