Compilation
Lysimachia africana

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Name

Identification
Lysimachia africana Engl. [family PRIMULACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet,
Related name
  • Lysimachia ruhmeriana
  • Lysimachia africana

Flora

Entry for Lysimachia ruhmeriana Vatke [family PRIMULACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1958) Author: P. TAYLOR
Names
Lysimachia ruhmeriana Vatke [family PRIMULACEAE], in Linnaea, 40 : 204 (1876) : F.T.A. 3 : 489 (1877); Pax & Knuth in E.P. IV. 237 : 292 (1905); P. Tayl. in K.B. 1958 : 142 (1958). Type : Ethiopia, without locality, Schimper 1231 (B, holo. †, K, iso.!)
Lysimachia parviflora Baker [family PRIMULACEAE], in J.L.S. 20 : 196 (1883); Pax & Knuth in E.P. IV. 237 : 291 (1905). Types : Madagascar, Baron 2303 & 3320 (both K, syn. !)
Lysimachia africana Engl. [family PRIMULACEAE], P.O.A. C : 304 (1895); Pax & Knuth in E.P. IV. 237 : 291 (1905); Knuth & Mildbr. in Z.A.E. 518 (1913); F.P.N.A. 2 : 40 (1947); Andr., Fl. Pl. Sudan 3 : 66 (1956). Type : Tanganyika, Usambara Mts., Holst 9013A (B, holo. †, K, iso. !)
Lysimachia saganeitensis Pax & Knuth [family PRIMULACEAE], in E.P. IV. 237 : 292 (1905). Type : Eritrea, Saganeiti, Schweinfurth & Riva 1684 (B, holo. †, K, iso. !)
Lysimachia woodii Pax & Knuth [family PRIMULACEAE], in E.P. IV. 237 : 292 (1905). Type : Natal, Van Reenens Pass, Medley Wood 4522 (B, holo. †, K, iso. !)
Information
Rootstock short and woody, with very numerous wiry roots. Stems erect or decumbent, few to very many, up to 1 m. high, terete, usually strongly tinged with red below. Leaves alternate or subopposite, varying from broadly elliptic to lanceolate, acute, basally cuneate, obtuse or auriculate, green above, glaucous beneath, with numerous irregular-shaped punctate blackish glands. Flowers in congested or lax terminal racemes from 1 to 50 cm. in length; pedicels 1–3 (–5) cm. long. Calyx-lobes oblong, 2–3 mm. long at anthesis, 3–4 mm. long in fruit; apex obtuse, acute or rarely acuminate. Corolla subcampanulate, white or pink, about equal to or slightly longer than the calyx. Capsule globose, 3–4 mm. in diameter; style persistent. Seeds numerous, 3–angled, about 1 mm. long. Fig. 2, p. 6.
Range
DISTR. U2–4; Kl, 3–6; Tl-3, 7, 8 ; from Ethiopia southwards to Natal and Madagascar, also in the Cameroons.
Altitude range
960–3450 m.
Distribution
KENYA Aberdare Mts.: Kinangop, 20 Dec. 1930, Napier 612 !KENYA Mt. Kenya, 27 Dec. 1921, Fries 403 !KENYA Elgon, 22 Feb. 1935, G. Taylor 3559 !TANGANYIKA Kilimanjaro, 27 Feb. 1934, Greenway 3832 ! ;TANGANYIKA Njombe District Ndumbi Forest, Feb. 1954, Paulo 254! ;TANGANYIKA Songea District Matengo Hills, 1 Mar. 1956, Milne-Redhead & Taylor 8780 !UGANDA Kigezi District Kachwekano Farm, Dec. 1949, Purseglove 3143 ! ;UGANDA Busoga District about 13 km. W. of Kamuli, 27 May 1953, G. H. S. Wood 764 !UGANDA Entebbe, Nov. 1922, Maitland 561 !
Notes
VARIATION. This species is very variable, especially in the length of inflorescence and shape and size of leaf. The species reduced above are mostly based on extreme forms but numerous intermediates make it impossible to distinguish them as distinct taxa in any rank.

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