Synonyms: |
Brillantaisia grandidentata S. Moore Brillantaisia kirungae Lindau Brillantaisia subulugurica Burkill Brillantaisia ulugurica Lindau |
Common names: | Giant salvia (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | |
Description: |
Soft-wooded aromatic shrub or even rarely a small tree, up to 5 m tall. Leaves opposite, more or less broadly ovate, sometimes purple-tinged, 10-40 cm long, often cordate at the base but lamina running back down into a winged petiole; margin coarsely toothed with small and large teeth. Flowers in a more or less open, branched purplish inflorescence, 10-40 cm long. Corolla pale to bright blue, mauve, violet or purple, 2 lipped; upper lip 25-52 mm long, covered with purplish glandular hairs; lower lip 17-40 mm long, 3-lobed. Capsule 25-45 mm long, glandular-hairy. |
Type location: |
DRC, Ruwenzori |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
Flowering time: | Aug - Sep |
Worldwide distribution: | DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Kenya Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe. |
Botanical divisions: | |
Growth form(s): | Tree, shrub over 2 m. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | Salamis parhassus (Food plant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 48. as Brillantaisia kirungae (Includes a picture). Champluvier, D. (1985). Acanthaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume III Pages 446 - 447. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 10. As Brillantaisia ulugunica Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 18. as Brillantaisia grandidentata Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 21. As Brillantaisia ulugurica Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 273. As Brillantaisia subulugurica Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 13. as Brillantaisia subulugurica Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 39. Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 76. As Brillantaisia species? Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 33. as Brillantaisia kirungae Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 72. Vollesen, K. (2009). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 159 - 161. (Includes a picture). Vollesen, K. (2013). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 8(5) Pages 103 - 105. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 87. |