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''Thunbergia atriplicifolia'', the Natal primrose, is a species of flowering plant in the family
''Thunbergia atriplicifolia'' is a perennial, sparsely to densely pubescent shrublet reaching up to 4 cm high. Re-sprouts from a woody base. Leaves are sessile or with petioles up to 4 mm long; blade is narrow to broad ovate with acute to obtuse apex and cordate to cuneate base, about 2.5–6.0 x 1.5–3.5 cm; margins are entire or toothed, usually only with two teeth at the base. Flowers are trumpet-shaped, pale creamy with yellow throat, 4–5 cm in diameter. Seeds are reddish- or greyish-brown with evenly arranged trichomes, 4-6 mm in diameter.
Acanthaceae
Acanthaceae () is a Family (biology), family (the acanthus family) of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species. Most are Tropics, tropical Herbaceous plant, herbs, shrubs, or twining vines; some are epip ...
, native to South Africa and Eswatini
Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official names Swaziland and the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by South Africa on all sides except the northeast, where i ...
. It is a favored browse of the steenbok ('' Raphicerus campestris'').
Etymology
The genus name ''Thunbergia'' is named for Swedish naturalist Carl Thunberg, the father of South African botany. The adjective ''atriplicifolia'' is derived from the Latin, meaning that its foliage is similar to that of members of the ''Atriplex
''Atriplex'' () is a plant genus of about 250 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache (; also spelled orach). It belongs to the subfamily Chenopodioideae of the family Amaranthaceae ''s.l.''.
The genus is quite variable and ...
'' genus.
Description
''Thunbergia atriplicifolia'' is a perennial, sparsely to densely pubescent shrublet reaching up to 4 cm high. Re-sprouts from a woody base. Leaves are sessile or with petioles up to 4 mm long; blade is narrow to broad ovate with acute to obtuse apex and cordate to cuneate base, about 2.5–6.0 x 1.5–3.5 cm; margins are entire or toothed, usually only with two teeth at the base. Flowers are trumpet-shaped, pale creamy with yellow throat, 4–5 cm in diameter. Seeds are reddish- or greyish-brown with evenly arranged trichomes, 4-6 mm in diameter.
Ecology
''Thunbergia atriplicifolia'' is a subordinategrassland
A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...
species where it grows best in both loam
Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–si ...
and sandy soil.
Distribution
The species can be found through eastern South Africa.References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15371297 atriplicifolia Flora of the Cape Provinces Flora of KwaZulu-Natal Flora of the Northern Provinces Flora of Swaziland Plants described in 1847