Family:
Iridaceae Juss.
Genus:
Aristea Aiton

Aristea ecklonii Baker

This species is accepted, and its native range is Cameroon, Uganda to S. Africa.

[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Plants 40-60 cm. high.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves several, basal and cauline, narrowly lanceolate, 5-9 mm. wide, the lower longest and exceeding the stem, progressively reduced in size above, those subtending the axillary flower-clusters 2-5 cm. and exceeding the spathes and bracts.
Morphology Stem
Stem elliptic in section, usually winged, few-several-branched.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Flower-clusters several to many, both terminal and axillary, then stalked or ± sessile, each usually (2-)4-flowered; spathes scarious and rust-coloured with herbaceous keels, 1.3-1.6 cm. long; floral bracts entirely scarious, ± 1 cm. long, the margins entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers blue, on pedicels ± 5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals obovate, 8-10 mm. long, ± 4 mm. wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Filaments ± 4 mm. long; anthers ± 2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style ± 4.5 mm. long, reaching the middle of the anthers, 3-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsules cylindric-trigonous, 1.2-1.8 cm. long, on pedicels 6-10 mm. long.
Figures
Fig. 1/1.
Habitat
Typically along streams and forest margins, in shade; 2000-2400 m.; mostly flowering October to December
Distribution
U2

[FZ]

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

Morphology General Habit
Plants 40–60 cm high.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves several, basal and cauline, the lower leaves longest and exceeding the stem in length, 5–9 mm wide, narrowly lanceolate, progressively reduced in size above, those subtending the axillary flower clusters 2–5 cm long and exceeding the spathes and bracts.
Morphology Stem
Stem elliptic in section, usually winged, few- to several-branched.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers blue, on pedicels c. 5 mm long. Flower clusters several to many, both terminal and axillary, stalked or more or less sessile in the axils, each usually (2)4-flowered; spathes scarious and rust-coloured with herbaceous keels, 13–16 mm long; floral bracts entirely scarious, c. 10 mm long, the margins entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals 8–10 × c. 4 mm, obovate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Filaments c. 4 mm long, anthers c. 2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style c. 4.5 mm long, reaching the middle of the anthers, 3-lobed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsules 12–18 mm long, cylindric-trigonous, on pedicels 6–10 mm long.

[FWTA]

Iridaceae, F. N. Hepper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:1. 1968

Morphology General Habit
In clumps 2 ft. high
Ecology
In wet upland grassland.

Native to:

Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Mozambique, Northern Provinces, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Introduced into:

Great Britain, Jamaica, West Himalaya

Aristea ecklonii Baker appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Jan 1, 1937 Maitland, T.D. [27], Cameroon K000320194 Unknown type material
Jan 1, 1937 Last, J.T. [s.n.], Mozambique K000320209 Unknown type material
Wild, H. [1511], Zimbabwe 18175.000
Wild, H. [3522] 24256.000
Harris, T. [348], Mozambique K000613784
Harris, T. [450], Mozambique K000613886

First published in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 16: 112 (1877)

Accepted by

  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  • Adams, C.D. in Adams, C.D. (1972). Flowering Plants of Jamaica: 83-86. University of the West Indies, Mona.
  • Bahali, D.D., Sanjappa, M. & Rath, S.P. (2004). Geographical distribution of Iridaceae in India Indian Journal of Forestry 27: 251-256.
  • Geerinck, D (2005). Flore d'Afrique Centrale (Zaïre - Rwanda - Burundi) Iridaceae: 1-102. Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Meise.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Goldblatt, P. (1996). Iridaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-89.
  • Govaerts, R. (1995). World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2): 1-483, 1-529. MIM, Deurne.
  • Lebrun J.-P. & Stork, A.L. (1995). Énumération des Plants à Fleurs D'Afrique Tropicale 3: 1-341. Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de la Ville de Genève.
  • Parslow, R. & Bennallick, I. (2017). The new flora of the Isles of Scilly: 1-539. Parslow Press.
  • Troupin, G. (ed.) (1988). Flora du Rwanda 4: I-X, 1-651. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.

Literature

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Fl. Capensis 6: 64
  • Weimarck in Lunds Univ. Årssk. N.F. Avd. 2, 36: 58, fig. 14 f-k (1940)
  • in J. Linn. Soc. 16: 112 (1878)

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Adams, C.D. in Adams, C.D. (1972). Flowering Plants of Jamaica: 83-86. University of the West Indies, Mona.
  • Bahali, D.D., Sanjappa, M. & Rath, S.P. (2004). Geographical distribution of Iridaceae in India Indian Journal of Forestry 27: 251-256.
  • Goldblatt, P. (1993). Flora Zambesiaca: i-iv, 1-106. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Goldblatt, P. (1996). Iridaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa: 1-89.
  • Parslow, R. & Bennallick, I. (2017). The new flora of the Isles of Scilly: 1-539. Parslow Press.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Baker in Fl. Cap. 6: 54 (1896).
  • Baker in Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Botany 16: 112 (1877)
  • Baker, Handb. Irid.: 144 (1892)
  • E. Lind & A. Tallantire, Some Common Flowering Plants of Uganda, ed. 2: 210 (1971).
  • Goldblatt in Flora Zambesiaca 12(4): 5 (1993).
  • Hepper in Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 3: 139 (1968).
  • Vincent in S. Afr. Journ. Bot. 51: 244 (1985).
  • Weim. in Lunds Univ. Arssk., N.F., Avd. 2, 36: 58 (1940).

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