Hypoestes aristata (Vahl) Sol. ex Roem. & Schult.

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

Flora Zambesiaca Acanthaceae (part 2) by Iain Darbyshire, Kaj Vollesen and Ensermu Kelbessa

Morphology General Habit

Erect or scrambling perennial herb or subshrub 40–300 cm tall; stems sparsely to densely puberulous or pubescent, hairs spreading, antrorse or retrorse, older stems often glabrescent except for persistent hairs along nodal line.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves broadly to narrowly ovate, 1.5–19.5 × 1.2–9.5 cm, base attenuate to rounded or shallowly cordate, margin entire or obscurely undulate, apex acuminate or rarely obtuse, surfaces sparsely to densely puberulous or pubescent, particularly along veins beneath; lateral veins 6–9 pairs; cystoliths minute, elliptic; petiole to 75 mm, uppermost leaves often subsessile.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences verticillate in upper axils and terminal, cymes densely fasciculate, sessile; fascicles subtended by leafy bracts; main axis bracts inconspicuous, lanceolate, 1.5–4(10) mm long; cymules numerous, each 1-flowered, subsessile or rarely on 5 mm peduncles; cymule bracts subequal to ± unequal, lanceolate-aristate, 5–21.5 mm long including flexuose arista, 0.8–2 mm wide towards base, fused in basal 1–2.5 mm, antrorse-puberulous to pilose or sparsely so, usually with few to numerous spreading glandular hairs on arista, margin hyaline towards base; bracteoles linear-caudate, 4–8.5 mm long, margin broadly hyaline.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tube 1–2(4) mm long; lobes 4, subequal, lanceolate or acuminate, 2.8–5 mm long, sparsely ciliate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 15–32 mm long, white, pink, purple or red, usually with darker markings on palate of lip held in upper position, retrorse-pubescent and with short spreading glandular hairs externally; tube 7.5–19 mm long; lip held in upper position oblong-obovate, 8–16 × 3–9.5 mm, conspicuously 3-lobed, ciliate; lip held in lower position narrowly oblong-elliptic to lanceolate, 7–14.5 × 2–5 mm, apex obtuse or acute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Staminal filaments 6–14 mm long, puberulous to pilose or largely glabrous; anthers 1.2–2 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style

Style sparsely pubescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 10–14.5 mm long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds subellipsoid, 2–3 mm wide, smooth.

Distribution

Nigeria to Ethiopia south to South Africa.

Ecology

Mid-altitude to montane forest, particularly forest margins and clearings where it is often dominant, sometimes extending into miombo woodland and wooded grassland; at lower altitudes in swamp and wet riverine forest (mushitu), bushland or amongst boulders on rocky hillslopes, riverine woodland and thicket and in ditches; 400–2400 m.

Conservation

Conservation notes: Widespread and common, often dominant in suitable habitat; Least Concern.

Acanthaceae, H. Heine. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Erect herb about 3 ft. high

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers pale mauve with darker markings

Ecology

In forest.