Acanthaceae
Thunbergia

Thunbergia schimbensis S.Moore

First published in J. Bot. 40: 342 (1902)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. Kenya to S. Tropical Africa. It is a scrambling perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

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

Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb with several erect, ascending, trailing or climbing stems from creeping rootstock with fleshy roots; stems to 50 cm long, sparsely to densely pilose (rarely pubescent).
Morphology Leaves
Leaves with petiole (2–)4–25 mm long, indumentum as stems; lamina ovate to cordiform or broadly so, largest 3–8(–11) × 1.3–6 cm, apex subacute to retuse, base subcordate to cordate, margin entire to irregularly crenate-dentate (rarely with two small basal lobes), with sparse to dense long pilose hairs, below densest on veins, above uniformly so, and with (or without below) shorter appressed to erect hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers axillary, solitary (rarely paired or in 3’s or in 2-flowered cymes); pedicels 2–9(–11) mm long, indumentum as stems; bracteoles green, ovate to oblong or narrowly so, 1.1–2(–2.3) × 0.3–0.8 cm, acute or subacute, sparsely to densely pilose and with short appressed to erect hairs, distinctly pilose-ciliate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx with subsessile capitate glands, rim 1–2.5 mm high, segments 4–6 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla pure white to pale mauve; tube cylindric, straight, 1.5–2.5 cm long, 2–3 mm in diameter at throat; lobes 1–2 × 1–2 cm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments ± 6 and 9 mm long, glabrous; anthers ± 2.5 mm long, apiculus ± 0.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 6–8(–9) mm in diameter, beak 8–12 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed chestnut brown, 4–5(–6) mm in diameter, with large lamellate-pectinate scales along edges becoming smaller towards centre.
Figures
Fig. 11.
Ecology
Acacia-Commiphora, Combretum-Terminalia and Brachystegia woodland, wooded grassland and bushland, grassland, glades in coastal forest; 25–900(–1050) m
Distribution
Flora districts: K7 T3 T6 T7 T8 Range: Rwanda, Congo-Kinshasa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe Range: Tanzania. Range: Kenya. Range: Rwanda, Congo-Kinshasa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe
[FTEA]

J. R. Timberlake, E. S. Martins (2013). Flora Zambesiaca, Vol 8 (5) Acanthaceae Part 1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Type
Kenya, Kwale Dist., Shimba Hills, 1.iii.1902, Kässner 174 (BM holotype).
Morphology General Habit
Perennial herb with single or several erect, ascending, trailing or climbing stems from a creeping rootstock with fleshy roots; stems to 40 cm long, pilose or densely so
Morphology Leaves
Leaves with sparse to dense long pilose hairs, below densest on veins, above uniformly so, and with shorter appressed to erect hairs; petiole 2–15(30) mm long; lamina ovate to cordiform or broadly so, largest 4.5–7.5(9.5) × 3–5.3(7.5) cm; apex subacute to retuse, base truncate to cordate, rarely cuneate; margin entire to irregularly crenate-dentate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers axillary, solitary or paired, rarely in 2-flowered cymes; pedicel 2–5 mm long, indumentum as stems; bracteoles green, 1.1–1.8(2) × 0.3–0.8 cm, ovate to oblong or narrowly so, acute or subacuminate, sparsely to densely pilose, often also with short appressed to erect hairs, distinctly pilose-ciliate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx with subsessile capitate glands, rim 1–2.5 mm long, segments 4–6 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla pure white, rarely with a pink tinge; tube cylindric, straight, 1.5–2.5 cm long, 2–3 mm wide at throat; lobes 1–2 × 1–2 cm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments c.5 and 8 mm long, glabrous; anthers c.2.5 mm long, apiculus c.0.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule 6–7 mm wide, beak 10–12 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds chestnut brown, c.4 mm in diameter, with large lamellate-pectinate scales along edges becoming smaller towards centre.
Distribution
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique. Also in Rwanda, Congo, Kenya and Tanzania.
Ecology
Woodland, bushland and grassland; 100–900(1200) m.
Conservation
Widespread; not threatened.
[FZ]

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