''Lobostemon'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s belonging to the family

Boraginaceae Boraginaceae, the Borago, borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees, and herbs in 146 to 154 genus, genera with a worldwide distribution. The APG IV system from 2016 classifies the Boraginaceae as single famil ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the

Cape Provinces The Cape Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "CPP". It includes the Sou ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. The majority of species are limited to the winter rainfall area of the country, from

Springbok The springbok or springbuck (''Antidorcas marsupialis'') is an antelope found mainly in south and southwest Africa. The sole member of the genus (biology), genus ''Antidorcas'', this bovid was first Species description, described by the Germa ...

Mossel Bay Mossel Bay () is a harbour town of about 170,000 people on the Garden Route of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province. Mossel Bay lies 400 kilometres east of the country's seat of parliament, Ca ...

. In

Afrikaans Afrikaans is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language spoken in South Africa, Namibia and to a lesser extent Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and also Argentina where there is a group in Sarmiento, Chubut, Sarmiento that speaks the Pat ...

these species are known as ''agtdaegeneesbos'', or loosely translated, bush that will heal in eight days. As this name suggests, many species have medicinal properties. This is best known from ''Lobostemon fruticosus'', which is used for treating wounds, blood poisoning,

ringworm Dermatophytosis, also known as tinea and ringworm, is a mycosis, fungal infection of the skin (a dermatomycosis), that may affect skin, hair, and nails. Typically it results in a red, itchy, scaly, circular rash. Hair loss may occur in the a ...

, skin diseases and

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms depend on the stage it presents: primary, secondary, latent syphilis, latent or tertiary. The prim ...

Taxonomy

This genus belongs to the forget-me-not family, Boraginaceae. It is closely related to the European genus ''

Echium ''Echium'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae that contains about 70 species and several subspecies. Species of ''Echium'' are native to North Africa, mainland Europe to Central Asia, and the Macaronesian islands wh ...

'' but differs by the presence of staminal scales in ''Lobostemon.'' The genus name is derived from Latin ''lobos,'' meaning lobe, and the Greek word ''stemon,'' meaning stamen.

Description

This genus is made up of

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

shrubs A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

with alternate leaves that may be hairless or hairy. Plants become densely flowered in early spring. The flowers have 5

sepals A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

petals Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''coroll ...

, and

stamens The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filamen ...

and are usually bell-shaped. The sepals are mostly free (unfused) and are often dissimilar in size. The staminal filaments are typically well-developed, but they may be reduced to ridges or mere swellings and hairy. The stamen filaments are free from petals or variously fused above staminal scales.

Distribution and habitat

This genus is endemic to the

of South Africa. It is confined to the winter rainfall area from Springbok to Mossel Bay, but several species have ranges that extend further eastward along the coast to about Makhanda, where rain occurs throughout the year.

Ecology

Plants in this genus are resprouters, re-emerging most frequently after a fire. The majority of the species in this genus are pollinated by insects, although those with red flowers tend to be pollinated by birds instead.

Species

The following species are recognised: *''

Lobostemon argenteus ''Lobostemon argenteus'', or the silver healthbush, blue rocket bugloss or disselblaarluibos, is a species in the forget-me-not family that is endemic to South Africa. Description This shrublet grows up to in height, although more typically ...

'' – Blue rocket bugloss *''

Lobostemon belliformis ''Lobostemon belliformis'', the Gouriqua lobostemon or beaut healthbush, is a critically endangered species in the forget-me-not family. It is known from a single locality on the Riversdale Plain in South Africa. Description This species is ...

'' – Gouriqua lobostemon *''

Lobostemon capitatus ''Lobostemon capitatus'' is a species belonging to the forget-me-not family. It is endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa, where it is found between Porterville and Bredasdorp. Description ''Lobostemon capitatus'' is a shrub that grows ...

'' – Brush healthbush *''

Lobostemon cinereus ''Lobostemon cinereus'', the ash healthbush, is a species belonging to the forget-me-not family. It is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. Description This species is similar in appearance to '' Lobostemon trichotomus''. It is a sh ...

'' – Ash healthbush *''

Lobostemon collinus ''Lobostemon collinus'', the pyjamabush or iron healthbush, is a species belonging to the forget me not family. It is known only from the fynbos biome of the Western Cape of South Africa. Description This shrublet grows tall. The stalkless l ...

'' – Pajama bush *''

Lobostemon curvifolius ''Lobostemon curvifolius'', the largeflower healthbush, is a species of the forget-me-not family from South Africa. Description ''Lobostemon curvifolius'' is a resprouting shrub which grows up to in height.BODATSA: Botanical Collections. v1. ...

'' – Largeflower healthbush *''

Lobostemon daltonii ''Lobostemon daltonii'', the Infanta healthbush, is a species of the forget-me-not family endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. Description This shrublet grows tall. It has an alternate branching pattern and the herbaceous branches ...

'' – Infanta healthbush *''

Lobostemon decorus ''Lobostemon decorus'', the Rooiberg healthbush, is a species belonging to the forget-me-not family. It is endemic to the Western Cape of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, ...

'' – Rooiberg healthbush *''

Lobostemon echioides ''Lobostemon echioides'' is a species of flowering plant in the family ''Boraginaceae''. Commonly referred to as the common healthbush, it is the mostly widely distributed species in its genus. It is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa, ...

'' – Common healthbush *''

Lobostemon ecklonianus ''Lobostemon'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Boraginaceae. It is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. The majority of species are limited to the winter rainfall area of the country, from Springbok, Northern Cap ...

'' *'' Lobostemon fruticosus'' – Eightday healthbush *'' Lobostemon glaber'' – Renoster healthbush *'' Lobostemon glaucophyllus'' – Smooth-leaved bush bugloss *'' Lobostemon gracilis'' – Robertson healthbush *'' Lobostemon hottentoticus'' – Helderberg healthbush *'' Lobostemon laevigatus'' – Arid healthbush *'' Lobostemon lucidus'' – Limestone healthbush *'' Lobostemon marlothii'' – Kleinkaroo healthbush *'' Lobostemon montanus'' – Turquoise bush bugloss *'' Lobostemon muirii'' – Ugly eightday curebush *'' Lobostemon oederifolius'' – Hairy healthbush *'' Lobostemon paniculatus'' – Horrid healthbush *'' Lobostemon paniculiformis'' – Heuwel healthbush *'' Lobostemon regulariflorus'' – Kloof healthbush *'' Lobostemon sanguineus'' – Potberg eightday curebush *'' Lobostemon spicatus'' *'' Lobostemon stachydeus'' – Karoo healthbush *'' Lobostemon strigosus'' – Western Karoo healthbush *'' Lobostemon trichotomus'' – Bokkeveld healthbush *'' Lobostemon trigonus'' – Eastern healthbush

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5644154 Boraginaceae Boraginaceae genera Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces Taxa named by Johann Georg Christian Lehmann