Erythrina zeyheri

Ploughbreaker
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Erythrina
Species: E. zeyheri
Binomial name
Erythrina zeyheri
Harv.

Erythrina zeyheri, commonly known as the ploughbreaker, is a deciduous, geoxylic subshrub and member of the Fabaceae, which is endemic to southern Africa. It grows no more than 60 cm tall[1] and occurs naturally in the higher altitude grasslands of South Africa's central plateau, and that of adjacent Lesotho.[2] They favour clay soil in the vicinity of creeks and marshes and often form colonies.[1] Its specific name commemorates the 19th century botanist, Karl Zeyher.

Description

The glabrous, trifoliolate leaves have large leaflets armed with recurved spines along the rachis and main venation,[3] which is prominently raised below. The shoots and leaves are deciduous, dying away during harsh highveld winters,[1] when the plant survives as an extensive tuberous rootstock. Inflorescences appear in summer, from October to January.[1] The drooping scarlet, or rarely white flowers[3] are capped by a red calyxes.

Their fruit are smooth black pods, each containing a few hard, orange-red seeds.[1][3]

It is a geoxylic plant, sometimes called an "underground tree".[4]

Foodplant

It is a foodplant for the moth Terastia margaritis.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Elliot Lithudzha; K Behr. "Erythrina zeyheri". plantzafrica.com. South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 19 December 2012.
  2. ↑ Reports of its occurrence in Botswana and Zimbabwe are suspect, see: "Erythrina latissima E. Mey. (Notes)". Flora Zambesiaca. kew.org. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 van Wyk, Braam; et al. (1988). Veldgids tot die Veldblomme van die Witwatersrand en Pretoria. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 206–207. ISBN 0-86977-815-3.
  4. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141103-why-some-trees-live-underground. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ Goff, R. "Terastia margaritis". African Moths. Retrieved 21 December 2012.

Media related to Erythrina zeyheri at Wikimedia Commons

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/31/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.