Lobelia erinus L.

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (12)

Lobelia erinus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Cleveland Dam

Lobelia erinus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mount Buhwa, area close to tunnel

Lobelia erinus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mount Buhwa, area close to tunnel

Lobelia erinus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mount Buhwa, area close to tunnel

Lobelia erinus

Photo: Bart Wursten
Slopes Mt Nyangani, Nyanga National Park.

Lobelia erinus

Photo: Bart Wursten
John Meikle Forestry Reserve, Stapleford

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Lobelia filiformis Lam.
Lobelia jugosa S. Moore
Lobelia nuda Hemsl.
Lobelia polyodon E. Wimm.
Lobelia wildii E. Wimm.
Common names: Edging blue lobelia (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Decumbent or erect annual or sometimes perennial herb. Leaves oblanceolate to spathulate below, linear to narrowly elliptic towards the top of the stems, 15 - 80 mm long, hairless or pubescent on both surfaces, leaf base running down into a narrowly winged petiole; margin more or less coarsely toothed or scalloped. Flowers in lax racemes, pale to deep blue, rarely mauve or white. See L. kirkii for comparison.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: erinus: ancient name of a plant with this habit.
Habitat: In a wide variety of habitats, favouring moist places, where it may form small colonies.
Flowering time:Sep - Mar
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in tropical and South Africa.
Botswana distribution: N,SE
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 37.

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 24.

Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 39. (Includes a picture).

Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 342. (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 58. Under Lobeliaceae

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 80.

Thulin, M. (1983). Lobeliaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 123 - 125.

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 90.

Other sources of information about Lobelia erinus:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: Lobelia erinus
Flora of Malawi: Lobelia erinus
Flora of Mozambique: Lobelia erinus
Flora of Zambia: Lobelia erinus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Lobelia erinus
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Lobelia erinus

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Botswana: Species information: Lobelia erinus.
https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=157790, retrieved 28 March 2024

Site software last modified: 2 April 2018 9:51pm
Terms of use