Acanthaceae
Thunbergia

Thunbergia verdcourtii Vollesen

First published in Fl. Trop. E. Africa, Acanth.(1): 59 (2008)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Burundi to W. Tanzania. 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 1–5 erect or trailing stems from woody rootstock; stems to 60 cm long, quadrangular, glabrous or with sparse long curly hairs.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves palmately veined; petiole 0.5–2.5 cm long, sparsely to densely pubescent; lamina ovate to elliptic, largest 7.5–20.5 × 4–6.5 cm, apex acute to obtuse, apiculate, base truncate to cordate with rounded or hastate lobes, margin entire or slightly crenate, glabrous or sparsely pubescent along midrib.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in erect 6–16-flowered axillary racemes; peduncle and axis 18–45 cm long, glabrous or with scattered long hairs at base, minutely puberulous towards apex; bracts caducous, mauve to purple, 13–20 mm long, with long (to 2 mm) glossy glandular hairs; pedicels 5–23 mm long, glabrous to finely puberulous (rarely with a few glossy glandular hairs); bracteoles dark green to purple, with obscure reticulation, ovate to ovate-elliptic, 2–2.7 × 0.8–1.2 cm, acute, apiculate, with long (to 2 mm) glossy glandular hairs on veins (rarely also minutely puberulous).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx glabrous, 1–2 mm high of which the broadly triangular lobes about half.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla limb and upper part of tube deep bluish purple, lower part of tube tube whitish, throat deep yellow; tube 2.5–4.5 cm long; lobes ± 1.5 × 1.5–2.5 cm.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments 10–12 mm long, glabrous; anthers 2.5–3 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Immature seed pale brown, ± 6 mm in diameter, with reticulate surface and raised lateral ridge. Immature capsule ± 10 mm in diameter, beak ± 14 mm long.
Figures
Fig. 9.
Distribution
Range: Burundi Flora districts: T4 Range: Burundi Range: Tanzania.
Ecology
Brachystegia-Julbernardia woodland, termite mounds in woodland, sandy to loamy or stony soil; 1200–1650 m
[FTEA]

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: threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • 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