Gesneriaceae
Streptocarpus

Streptocarpus rhodesianus S.Moore

First published in J. Bot. 49: 188 (1911)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. DR Congo to Angola. It is a lithophyte and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Gesneriaceae, O. M. Hilliard and B. L. Burtt. Flora Zambesiaca 8:3. 1988

Morphology General Habit
Perennial, rosulate.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves several, prostrate, elliptic-oblong or oblong, up to c. 20 × 19 cm., often much smaller, margin entire, base subcordate to cuneate, upper surface grey-green, lower often purplish, both surfaces almost lanate with long soft delicate hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences several in succession from the base of the midrib, 2–10-flowered.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles
Peduncles wiry, up to c. 10 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel
Pedicels very slender, 7–15 mm. long, both glandular-pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx divided to the base into 5 lanceolate segments c. 2 mm. long, glandular-pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla c. 7–10 mm. long, sparingly gladular-pilose outside, tube "dull purple" or "dull wine red" outside, the lobes white, floor of tube white blotched wine red with 2 parallel bands of stout unicellular clavate hairs extending onto palate and lobes of lower lip, roof of tube uniform wine red, bearded with long delicate unicellular hairs; tube subcylindrical, widening slightly upwards, c. 8 mm. long, 3 mm. across mouth; limb oblique, lower Up c. 6 mm. long, the lobes oblong, c. 4 × 3 mm., 2 lobes of upper lip slightly smaller.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens arising in lower third of corolla tube, filaments c. 3 mm. long, twisted and thickened about the middle, purple, anther lobes c. 1 mm. long, white; staminodes minute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 2–2.5 mm. long, pilose; style 4 mm. long, slightly dorsoventrally compressed(?); stigma stomatomorphic, papillose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule c. 5–10 × 1.5 mm., crowned with persistent style.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 0.3 mm. long, reticulate.
[FZ]

Gesneriaceae, Ian Darbyshire. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2006

Type
Type: Zambia, Katenina Hills, Kassner 2162 (BM!, holo.; K!, iso.)
Morphology General Habit
Perennial acaulescent herb
Morphology Leaves
Leaves (1–)several, rosulate; blade often purplish beneath, sessile, oblong (-lanceolate), 2–15(–30) cm long, 1–6(–9) cm wide, base subcordate to cuneate, margin entire, apex usually withered, surfaces densely pilose, the hairs long and white, often obscuring the surface; lateral nerves 8–20(–30) pairs, parallel and spreading
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences 1–several arising from the base of the leaves, (1–)2–6(–12)-flowered; peduncles 2.5–9 cm long, often thickened towards the base, with scattered long white eglandular hairs and with sparse to numerous glandular hairs towards the apex, the peduncles of previous seasons’ inflorescences partially persisting; pedicels 2.5–12(–23) mm long, glandular-pubescent and with occasional long eglandular hairs; bracts oblong, 0.5–1.5 mm long, inconspicuous, caducous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx lobes lanceolate, 1.3–3 mm long, apex blunt, outer surface with predominantly glandular hairs at the base and scattered long eglandular hairs towards the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla with a mauve tube outside, the lips and tube within white, the latter with purple markings on the floor, 8.5–19 mm long, glandular-pubescent outside; tube subcylindric, 5.5–11 mm long, 2–4.5 mm diameter, broadening somewhat to the open mouth, the floor with long, blunt-tipped, sometimes clavate hairs, theseextending onto the palate of the lower lip, the roof with finer pilose hairs within; limb spreading, bilabiate; upper lip of two rounded lobes, 1–4 mm long and wide; lower lip 3–8.5 mm long, lateral lobes 2–5 mm long, 1–5 mm wide, median lobe 2–5.5 mm long, 1–6 mm wide, all rounded to oblong-rounded
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens arising from the lower third of the corolla tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments 2.5–3.5 mm long, centrally kinked, glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Anthers
Anthers reniform, thecae rounded, 0.6–0.9 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes
Staminodes minute, arising below the stamens
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary narrowly conical, 1.5–3 mm long, sparsely glandular- or eglandular-pubescent or rarely glabrate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 2.5–4.5 mm long, sparsely pubescent towards the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma
Stigma shallowly bilobed, 0.4–0.6 mm wide, papillose
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 5–12 mm long, ± 1.5 mm diameter, sparsely pubescent or glabrate, style persistent
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 0.25–0.5 mm long, reticulate.
[FTEA]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0