Entry From
FZ, Vol 7, Part 1, page 157, (1983) Author: R. Ross
Names
Erica lanceolifera S. Moore [family ERICACEAE], in J. Linn. Soc. Lond., Bot. 40: 126(1911). — Alm & Fries in Ark. Bot. 21A (7): 8 (1927). — Brenan in Kirkia ± 146 1964. Type; Zimbabwe, Chimanimani Mts., 2100 m.,fl. 26.ix.1906, Swynnerton 1288 (BM, holotype; K).
Erica gazensis Wild [family ERICACEAE], in Bothalia 6: 428, fig. 4 (1954). Type: Zimbabwe, Melsetter District, Chimanimani National Park, 1850 m., fl. 8.vii.1950, Thompson 16 (BM; SRGH, holotype).
Information
A sub–shrub, often with trailing branches, 20–60 cm. tall. Branchlets slender, the finest 0·2–0·3 mm. in diameter, without infrafoliar ridges, with a dense pubescence of short simple hairs c. 0·1 mm. long and a sparser pubescence of long hairs to 1·5 mm. long, the tips glandular or forked or simple, and often with side branches near the base. Leaves in whorls of 4, ascending, occasionally 3 on some branchlets, narrowly ovate to ovate, the apices obtuse, 2–5 mm. long, 0·6–1·3 mm. broad, the margins reflexed to a varying degree from only slightly to so strongly that they meet on the mid line at the back of the leaf, whole upper surface usually pubescent with short simple hairs c. 0·05 mm. long but this pubescence sometimes absent, and sparse longer hairs, to 0·5 mm., on the apparent margin of the leaf and on the abaxial part of the dorsal surface, these longer hairs glandular, or forked, or simple; petioles 0·4–0·7 mm. long, glabrous. Flowers in heads of 4–12 on side branches which become shorter and more crowded near the apex of the main stem. Pedicels 2–4 mm. long, pubescent with hairs similar to those on the stem. Bract narrow, spathulate, 1–2 mm. long, insertion varying from near the base of the pedicel to about three quarters of the way up it, pubescence as on the leaves. Bracteoles membranous, very narrow, 0·5 mm. long to much reduced or absent, ciliate with forked or simple or glandular hairs. Calyx segments free almost to the base, triangular ovate, acute, c. 1 mm. long, pubescent with short simple hairs over the surface and ciliate margins, the cilia glandular or some to most eglandular and forked or simple. Corolla campanulate to urceolate–campanulate, purple to deep pink, 2·0–2·5 mm. long, 1·7–2·2 mm. broad, usually glabrous, occasionally minutely pubescent along the margin, lobes triangular, obtuse, sinuses obtuse, c. 0·8 mm. deep. Stamens 8 (?–6), filaments 1·0–2·0 mm., anthers 0·8–1·0 mm., their tips equalling the corolla to exceeding it by c. 0·5 mm., with minutely pubescent appendages c. 0·4 mm. long, aristate, and broadened and irregularly toothed above. Ovary globose, pubescent; style glabrous, 2–3 mm. long, exceeding the corolla by 1–2 mm., stigma capitate.
Distribution
Zimbabwe E Melsetter Distr., Nyamhunza River, Martin Forest Reserve, 1300 m., fl. 7.x.1950, Chase 2976 (BM; COI; K; LISC; SRGH).
Notes
Swynnerton 1288, the type of E. lanceolifera S. Moore, has occasional glandular hairs on the bracts and calyx but none elsewhere, whilst on Thompson 16, the type or E.gasensis Wild, all the longer hairs on leaves, pedicels, bracts, bracteoles and calyx are glandular, as are all on the branchlets except for a very few with forked tips. However Wild 6272 has about equal numbers of glandular and forked eglandular hairs on branchlets, leaves, bracts, bracteoles and calyx, long hairs being absent from its pedicels; other specimens show a wide range in the proportions of these types of hair. In all other respects these specimens are very similar and they clearly represent a single species and not two that can be distinguished by the presence or absence of glandular hairs.