Aristea angolensis Baker

Iridaceae, Peter Goldblatt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1996

Morphology General Habit

Plants 25-90 cm. high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves several, basal and cauline, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2.5-7(-12) mm. wide, mostly basal and ± half as long as the stem, cauline leaves progressively shorter above.

Morphology Stem

Stem 2-6-branched (rarely simple), compressed, ± elliptic in section, 2-angled but not winged, the branches fairly short, slender and erect.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flower-clusters 4-14, terminal and axillary, 4-6-flowered; spathes ovate, 9-11 mm. long, herbaceous with scarious transparent margins; floral bracts 8-10 mm. long, scarious and transparent entirely or with herbaceous keels, the margins entire initially or lightly lacerate, becoming increasingly so.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flower blue, ± sessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals obovate, ± 12 × 4-5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments ± 4 mm. long; anthers ± 1.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 6-7 mm. long, exceeding the anthers, apex 3-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules ovoid-obovoid, 5-7 mm. long, subsessile or on pedicels up to 4 mm. long.

Habitat

Wet sites and often in seeps, seasonally flooded valley grassland (dambos) or shallow marshes; 1750-2700 m.; flowering May to November in Kenya, mainly November to February in Tanzania

Distribution

K3 K4 T4 T7 eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon, Ethiopia, Angola, Zaire, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa as far south as Eastern Cape Province

Iridaceae, P. Goldblatt. Flora Zambesiaca 12:4. 1993

Note

[Subspecies admitted by Weimarck, l.c. 18 et seq. (1940) or Vincent, l.c. 229 et seq. (1985) are not recognised for the Flora Zambesiaca area and their nomenclature is not listed.]

Morphology General Habit

Plants 25–90 cm high.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves several, mostly basal and about half as long as the stem, 2.5–7(9) mm wide, linear to narrowly lanceolate, cauline leaves progressively shorter above.

Morphology Stem

Stem 2–6-branched (rarely simple), compressed, more or less elliptic in section, 2-angled but not winged, the branches fairly short, slender and erect.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flower blue, more or less sessile. Flower clusters 4–14, terminal and axillary, 4–6-flowered; spathes 9–11 mm long, ovate, herbaceous with scarious transparent margins, inner bracts 8–10 mm long, scarious and transparent entirely or with herbaceous keels, the margins at first entire or lightly lacerate, becoming increasingly so.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal

Tepals c. 12 × 4–5 mm, obovate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Filaments 4 mm long, anthers c. 1.5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style 6–7 mm long, exceeding the anthers, apex 3-lobed.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsules ovoid-obovoid, 5–7 mm long, sub-sessile or on pedicels up to 4 mm long.

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