| Synonyms: |
Thunbergia collina S.Moore Thunbergia fasciculata De Wild. Thunbergia glaucina S.Moore Thunbergia glaucina var. latifolia S.Moore Thunbergia katentaniensis De Wild. Thunbergia stellarioides var. graminea Burkill Thunbergia stenophylla Lindau Thunbergia trinervis S.Moore Thunbergia trinervis var. angustifolia S.Moore |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Perennial herb with several stout erect stems from a large woody rootstock; stems to 75 cm long, 2–6 mm wide at base, subquadrangular, glabrous but often sparsely puberulous in thin transverse lines at nodes, rarely uniformly puberulous. Leaves with central vein and 2 (rarely 4) strongly developed rib-like lateral veins running ± length of lamina, rarely only ½–¾ up, glabrous, rarely sparsely minutely puberulous; petiole 0–1 mm long; lamina linear to elliptic or obovate, largest 3–13.5 × 0.1–1.8 cm; apex acute to acuminate, base attenuate; margin entire. Flowers solitary; pedicel 1–4.5(10 in fruit) cm long, glabrous, rarely minutely puberulous; bracteoles green or dark green or tinged dull purple, with obscure reticulation, 2–4.2 × 0.5–1.5 cm, ovate-elliptic or narrowly so, acute, glabrous. Calyx minutely puberulous, 2–3(5 in fruit) mm high, the broadly triangular lobes about half. Corolla limb and upper part of tube pale blue to blue, mauve, lavender or violet, rarely white, lower part of tube white to pale yellow, throat yellow; tube 3–4.5(5) cm long, 1–2 cm wide at mouth; lobes (1)1.5–3 ×1.5–3.5 cm. Capsule 12–15 mm wide, beak 18–25 mm long. Seeds chestnut brown, 10–12 mm in diameter, smooth on back with entire or laciniate lateral wing. |
| Type location: |
DRC, Katanga |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | graminifolia: grass-like leaves, a reference to the narrow, linear nature of the leaves. |
| Habitat: | |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | Sep - Apr |
| Worldwide distribution: | DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Tansania, Malawi and Zambia |
| Botanical divisions: | |
| Growth form(s): | Perennial. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Champluvier, D. (1985). Acanthaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume III Page 490. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 43. Vollesen, K. (2013). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 8(5) Page 40. |