| Synonyms: |
Trichodesma angolense Brand Trichodesma hockii De Wild. Trichodesma ledermannii Vaupel Trichodesma tinctorium Brand Trichodesma verdickii Brand |
| Common names: | Blue Bells of St Mary's (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Perennial herb with many erect stems growing from a rootstock, dying back each winter. Stems bristly-hairy, sometimes sparsely so. Leaves lanceolate to ovate or elliptic. Inflorescence composed of 2-9 cymose primary branches, without bracts. Sepals ovate, enlarging in fruit. Corolla 17-25 mm, blue. Fruit a single discoid tomentose nutlet. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | ambacense: from Ambaca a district of Angola where the type was collected. |
| Habitat: | In grassland and open woodland. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | Jul - Sep |
| Worldwide distribution: | From Sudan southwards to Zimbabwe and Botswana; also in West Africa. |
| FZ divisions: | N,Z |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 122 - 123. (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 30. Martins, E.S. (1990). Boraginaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(4) Pages 98 - 99. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 41. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 62. Taton, A. (1971). Boraginaceae Flore du Congo du Rwanda et du Burundi Jardin Botanique National de Belgique Pages 44 - 46. as Trichodesma hockii and T. angolense |