Thunbergia fischeri Engl.

Acanthaceae (part 1), Kaj Vollesen, Flora of Tropical East Africa, 2008

Morphology General Habit

Perennial herb with several erect to procumbent stems from thick sometimes branched woody rootstock; stems stout (erect plants) to slender (creeping plants), to 55 cm long, whitish tomentose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves with petiole 1–5 mm long, not winged, indumentum as stems; lamina ovate to elliptic or broadly so, largest 1.7–5.5 × 0.8–4 cm, apex acute to broadly rounded, base truncate to cordate, margin entire to indistinctly sinuate-dentate; sericeous-pubescent to tomentose, densest beneath and sometimes sparsely puberulous or pubescent above.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers axillary, solitary; pedicels 0.5–2(–2.5) cm long, densely whitish sericeous to tomentose; bracteoles ovate to elliptic or narrowly so, 1.4–2.2 × 0.6–1 cm, acute, rounded to truncate at base, not angled, whitish sericeous to tomentose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx sparsely glandular-puberulous and with scattered eglandular hairs, rim 0.5–1.5 mm high, segments narrowly triangular, 2–5 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla lemon yellow with darker yellow centre, without purple throat; cylindric tube 2–5 mm long; throat straight, narrowly campanulate, 1–2 cm long and 0.3–0.7 cm in diameter apically; lobes 0.6–1(–1.5) × 0.7–1.2(–1.5) cm, broadly emarginate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments

Filaments ± 2 and 4 mm long; anthers ± 2 mm long, indistinctly apiculate, densely bearded at base; spurs ± 1 mm long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule depressed globose, densely puberulous, 6–9 × 7–12 mm, beak 10–15 mm long, parallel-sided and slightly narrowed at base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 4–5.5 mm in diameter, dark reddish brown, lamellate.

Ecology

Grassland, often on black cotton soil but also on rocky hillsides, in W Tanzania in Brachystegia woodland, roadsides; 1200–2500 m

Note

The two should possibly be treated as subspecies. The closely related T. ruspolii, which is widespread in the Ethiopian highlands, differs in its yellowish strigose indumentum and dark yellow to orange corolla.

Distribution

Range: Burundi Range: Burundi Flora districts: K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 T1 T2 T4 Range: Kenya. Range: Tanzania.