Stachys lallaniana
| Stachys lallaniana | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Lamiaceae |
| Genus: | Stachys |
| Species: | S. lallaniana
|
| Binomial name | |
| Stachys lallaniana R.Kr.Singh & Sanjeet Kumar
| |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Stachys lallaniana, the Komani woundwort, is a species of hedgenettle endemic to South Africa′s Eastern Cape province.[2]
It was previously named Stachys malacophylla Skan – an illegitimate homonym of the earlier Stachys malacophylla Greene (now Stachys albens, a Californian species) – so it was renamed in 2024.[3]
Description
This species is a perennial herb with spreading stems that lie along the ground, branch sparingly, and grow up to 40 cm (16 in) long. The stems are fairly densely covered with soft hairs.[4][5][6]
The leaves are borne on short stalks and have fairly firm, broadly ovate blades, 14–30 mm (0.55–1.18 in) long. They are greyish and the same colour on both surfaces, with the upper surface covered in fine, pressed hairs and the underside densely velvety. The leaves have a rounded tip, a deeply heart-shaped base, and shallowly scalloped margins.[5][4][6]
The flowers are arranged in a loose inflorescence of two to eight whorls, each bearing four to six flowers, occasionally two or three. The bracts are reduced, with the upper ones narrow and shorter than the calyx, which is densely hairy and finely gland-dotted.[5][4][6]
The corolla is mauve, with a short tube and a two-lipped form, the upper lip held horizontally.[5][4][6]
Stachys lallaniana flowers from November to April.[6]
Identification
Stachys lallaniana is closely related to Stachys sessilifolia but has petiolate leaves and mostly 4–6-flowered whorls.[5]
Distribution and habitat
Stachys lallaniana grows on grassy mountain slopes and summits and in riverine mountain forest at altitudes of 610–1,950 m (2,000–6,400 ft). It′s found in an area south of Qacha′s Neck at the border with Lesotho and, separately, from Dordrecht through Komani to Katberg and on to Qonce.[4][6]
Notes
- ^ "Stachys malacophylla". Red List of South African Plants. SANBI. Retrieved 2026-01-07.
- ^ Klopper, R.R.; Winter, P.J.D., eds. (20 March 2025). "The South African National Plant Checklist: 2025 official yearly release". South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ Singh, R. Kr.; Kumar, Sanjeet (30 September 2023). "Stachys lallaniana R.Kr.Singh & Sanjeet Kumar, a replacement name for S. malacophylla Skan (Lamiaceae)". Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation. 7 (3): 41–44. ISSN 2457-0761. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d e Codd, L. E. W., Dyer, R. A., Rycroft, H. B., de Winter, B. (1985). Flora of Southern Africa: The Republic of South Africa, Basutoland, Swaziland and South West Africa. Vol. 28. Govt. Printer. p. 60. ISBN 0621082686.
- ^ a b c d e Codd, L. E. (11 November 1977). "A note on the Stachys aethiopica Complex". Bothalia. 12 (2). Botanical Research Institute, Dept. of Agricultural Technical Services: 184. doi:10.4102/ABC.V12I2.1392. Retrieved 8 January 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f Bredenkamp, C. L. (2019). A Flora of the Eastern Cape Province. Vol. 2. SANBI. p. 1155. ISBN 9781928224280.
See also
External links
- SANBI Biodiversity Advisor
- Data related to Stachys lallaniana at Wikispecies