Home | > | List of families | > | Orobanchaceae | > | Cycnium | > | adonense |
Synonyms: |
Cycnium buchneri Engl. Cycnium camporum Engl. Cycnium decumbens Gandoger Cycnium pentheri Gandoger Cycnium rectum Gandoger Rhamphicarpa montana N.E. Br. |
Common names: | White ink flower (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial herb with decumbent to suberect stems up to c. 35 cm long, growing from a woody tuber. Leaves opposite or sub-opposite, lanceolate, ovate, elliptic-oblong or oblanceolate, up to c. 10 cm long, more or less roughly hairy and sometimes glandular; margin more or less coarsely toothed. Flowers solitary or in racemes. Corolla 5-lobed up to 8 cm in diameter, white or pink with a straight tube 30-95 mm long. Fruit a globose to ovoid berry 12-14 mm long. |
Notes: | A partial parasite, which draws moisture and nutrients from the roots of host plants. The flowers are large and attractive but easily turn black when handled, giving rise to the common name. It has been suggested that the specific name refers to the resemblance of the genus Adonis (Ranunculaceae). This seems unlikely since the suffix -ense normally refers to a place (eg. angolense)and a likeness is shown by using the suffix -oides (eg. ranunculoides). Also these is actually very little resemblance of this species to species of Adonis. |
Derivation of specific name: | adonense: derivation not known but see note above. |
Habitat: | In various types of woodland and grassland. |
Flowering time: | Nov - Dec |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical Africa, Eswatini and South Africa. |
Botswana distribution: | SE |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Friday 22 December 2017 |
Literature: |
Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 184. As Cycnium adonense (Includes a picture). Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 128 - 129. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 265. as Cycnium adonense (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 18. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 12. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 93. Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 364 - 365. (Includes a picture). Ghazanfar, S.A., Hepper, F.N. & Philcox, D. (2008). Scrophulariaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 168 - 169. 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 77. Philcox, D. (1990). Scrophulariaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(2) Pages 140 - 141. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 98. Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 110, plate 148 Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 103. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 176. Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 86 - 87. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 96. As Cycnium adonense |
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