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Veronica abyssinica Fresen. [family SCROPHULARIACEAE]

Date Updated: 19 August 2007

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, (2008) Author: S.A. GHAZANFAR, F.N. HEPPER & D. PHILCOX
Names
Veronica abyssinica Fresen. [family SCROPHULARIACEAE], in Bot. Zeit. 2:356 (1844); Skan in F.T.A. 4(2): 358 (1906); Römpp in F.R., Beih. 50: 141 (1928); A.V.P.: 169 (1951); Hepper in F.W.T.A. ed. 2, 2: 355 (1963); Cribb & Leedal, Mount. Fl. S Tanz.: 119, pl. 29C (1982); Philcox in F.Z.: 8(2): 82, t. 30/B (1990); U.K.W.F.: 258, pl. 111 (1994); Fischer, F.A.C. Scrophulariaceae: 204, pl. 85 (1999) & in Fl. Ethiop. & Eritr. 5: 281 (2006). Type: Ethiopia, Simien, Rüppell s.n. (FR, holo.) Veronica petitiana A.Rich. [family SCROPHULARIACEAE], Tent. F1. Abyss. 2: 127 (1851). Type: Ethiopia, Wodgerat, Petit s.n. (P!, holo.)
Information
Trailing perennial herb with prostrate stems up to 80(–150) cm, rooting at the nodes, sometimes profusely branched, sparsely to rather densely pubescent in two lines. Leaves broadly ovate, 1–5 cm long, 0.5–3.5 cm wide, rounded to subcordate at base, subacute to obtuse, margins rather coarsely crenate, pilose to subglabrous on both sides; petioles 4–9(–18) mm long. Inflorescence of lateral racemes, 2–5 cm long, 2–4(–8)-flowered; bracts linear, 4 mm long; pedicels filiform, ± 5 mm long. Calyx 4–5 mm long in flower, 6–7 mm long in fruit; segments elliptic-oblong, ciliate. Corolla blue; tube white; lobes ± 6 mm long. Filaments white; anthers yellow. Capsule broadly obovate, emarginate, compressed, pilose to nearly glabrous. Fig. 30, 5–8, p. 103.
Range
DISTR. U 1–4; K 2–7; T 1–3, 6–8 extending to the mountains of Cameroon, Congo-Kinshasa, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, Ethiopia, Malawi
Altitude range
1200–3100 m (–­3900 m fide U.K.W.F.)
Distribution
KENYA Trans-Nzoia District Cherangani, 6 Dec. 1958, Symes 516!KENYA Kiambu District Muguga forest, 4 Sept. 1965, Kokwaro & Kabuye 347!KENYA Teita District Taita Hills, Mt Vuria, 9 Feb. 1966, Gillett & B.L. Burtt 17071!TANZANIA Lushoto District W Usambara Mts, 11 June 1953, Drummond & Hemsley 2889!TANZANIA Njombe District Kitulo Plateau, 6 May 1975, Hepper & Field 5313!TANZANIA Songea District Matengo Hills, 1 Mar. 1956, Milne-Redhead & Taylor 8937!UGANDA Karamoja District Mt Moroto, 11 June 1970, Katende & Lye 400!UGANDA Kigezi District Behungi, 1 Dec. 1930, Burtt 2926!UGANDA Mbale District Mt Elgon, Bulambuli, 12 Nov. 1933, Tothill 2335!
Notes
USES. None recorded on specimens from our area. CONSERVATION Least Concern (LC). Robust forms with larger, deep blue flowers occur in Tanzania (T7) at the edge of the Kitulo Plateau, Njombe District (Hepper & Field 5345) and at some other places.
Veronica abyssinica Fresen. [family SCROPHULARIACEAE]
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