Diclis ovata Benth.

Scrophulariaceae, S.A. Ghazanfar, F.N. Hepper & D. Philcox. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2008

Type

Type: “Madagascar, Herb. Hooker” (K!, holo., see note)

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual herb 3–17 cm high, ± branched, decumbent or ascending, rooting at nodes.

Morphology Stem

Stems subquadrangular, ± pubescent and glandular

Morphology Leaves

Leaves mostly opposite below and alternate above, petiolate; petiole 5–19 mm long, glandular-hairy; lamina broadly ovate, 9–20(–41) mm long, 6–15(–26) mm wide, cuneate or truncate at the base, margins dentate sometimes obscurely so, sparsely pubescent especially on the veins

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers axillary, solitary; pedicels filiform, 1–2.5(–4) cm long, not exceeding the leaves, glandular

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx lobes unequal, 1.2–2 mm long, glandular-hairy

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla white with upper lip brownish with spur, 3.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, lower lip 3-lobed, upper lip emarginate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 4 mm in diameter, 4-valved, valves spreading at dehiscence

Figures

Fig 5, p 21

Ecology

Usually in damp places in upland grassland, montane forest where it may be mat-forming, or in cultivated ground; 1300–2300 m

Conservation

Least Concern (LC); widespread

Note

There are 3 plants on a sheet at K with ‘type sheet’ written on it possibly in Bentham’s handwriting. All are from Madagascar: the first collected by G.W. Parker in Aug. 1880, the middle one without a collector’s name on a cut out label giving the name of the country only (Madagascar), and the third collected by R. Baron in July 1880. As the new species was published in 1836, neither of the two collections dated 1880 can be the holotype of Diclis ovata. In the protologue Bentham cites a specimen fom Madagascar which he has seen, but does not give the name of the collector or a collection number. It is quite probable that the middle specimen is one of Bojer’s collections from Madagascar, of which a couple are at P, and I have seen them. The specimen at K is definitely the holotype, however it cannot be said if those of Bojer’s at P are isotypes.

Distribution

Flora districts: U2 U3 U 4 , U6 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 T1 T2 T3 T4 T6 T7 T8 Range: Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Mauritius

Scrophulariaceae, F. N. Hepper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Slender herb at first more or less erect becoming prostrate

Morphology Branches

Sub-simple branches up to a foot long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers white, streaked reddish, spur yellowish

Ecology

In moist, open places.

Scrophulariaceae, D. Philcox. Flora Zambesiaca 8:2. 1990

Morphology General Habit

Prostrate or decumbent annual herb, sparingly branched; branches 4–30 cm. long, slender, minutely pubescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate; lamina 10–25(35) x 3–13(24) mm., broadly ovate, obtuse, cuneate at base, shallowly dentate to denticulate, sparsely, minutely glandular-pubescent to subglabrous above, slightly denser beneath especially on major nerves; petiole (2)6–10(16) mm. long, shortly stipitate glandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 10–24(55) mm. long, capillary to rarely filiform, stipitate glandular.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 1.4–2.4 mm. long, lobes 0.6–1 mm. wide, unequal, ovate-oblong, sparsely glandular stipitate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 2–3(4) mm. long including spur, white to cream, occasionally upper lip pink-tinged; spur 0.4–1(1.8) mm. long, straight, glandular; upper lip bifid, lobes short, acute; lower lip trilobed, lobes rounded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 2–2.5 x 2–3 mm., compressed globose, shallowly emarginate, sparsely and finely stipitate glandular.