Karomia speciosa (Hutch. & Corbishley) R. Fern.

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Photo: Sune Holt
Namaacha, Maputo Province, Mozambique

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Synonyms:	Holmskioldia speciosa Hutch. & Corbishley
Common names:	Southern chinese-hats (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Deciduous shrub or small tree to 6 m. Branches usually unarmed but may bear spiny branchlets. Leaves opposite, broadly ovate to subtriangular, up to 5 × 4 cm (smaller than tettensis), softly hairy on both surfaces with minute sessile glands beneath; coarsely serrate-dentate to lobed. Flowers in 1-3-flowered axillary cymes. Calyx mauve or pale green suffused with purple, 11-20 mm in diameter; limb shallowly 5-lobed. Corolla blue, violet, purple to mauve, lilac or white; labellum of the lower lip 2-lobed, not laciniate. Anthers up to 4 cm long, densely covered in gland-tipped hairs near the base. Fruit c. 7 mm long, obconical, flat on the top with 4 horn-like appendages arranged in the shape of a cross the appendages without crests.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	speciosa: showy, good-looking
Habitat:	On dry rocky hillsides and along seasonal watercourses.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Mozambique (Maputo province), Eswatini and South Africa; cultivated in gardens elsewhere
FZ divisions:	M
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Tuesday 20 October 2015
Literature:	Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Pages 176 - 177. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 852. (Includes a picture). Fernandes, R. (2005). Lamiaceae (subfamilies: Viticoideae and Ajugoideae) Flora Zambesiaca 8(7) Pages 151 - 152.

Other sources of information about Karomia speciosa:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: cultivated Karomia speciosa
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Karomia speciosa

External websites:

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