| Heterotis rotundifolia | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Melastomataceae |
| Genus: | Heterotis |
| Species: | H. rotundifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Heterotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Jacq.-Fél. (1981) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Heterotis rotundifolia, commonly called pink lady, Spanish Shawl, or rockrose, [2] is a shrub in the family Melastomataceae that occurs in tropical Africa. [3]
Heterotis rotundifolia can grow in a variety of ways, from straight up and erect to lying flat and prostrate to decumbent, meaning the branches lie flat on the ground but turn up at the ends. When the stems trail, they root where the leaf connects to the stem, called the "node". The stems are woody on lower parts of the plant and become hirsute, meaning hairy, towards the top of the plant. The branches tend to spread wide, and range from pink to a dark reddish in color. [4]
The leaves are oval shaped and three-ribbed, being 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) long and 6–15 mm (0.24–0.59 in) wide. [5] They are covered with short, appressed hairs on both sides. The stalks of the leaves are as long as 1.5 cm (0.59 in), pilose, and pink.
The flowers of Heterotis rotundifolia are solitary, and the stalks of the flowers, like the leaves, are covered with tiny appressed hairs. The petals of the flower are 1.5–2 cm (0.59–0.79 in) in length and range from pink to a pale purple in color. [6]
Heterotis rotundifolia is native to Africa, occurring naturally in central and western Africa from Sierra Leone to Zaire. It has been introduced as a ground cover and ornamental plant to other tropical areas such as Hawaii, Malaysia, and the West Indies, [7] [6] and has become naturalised in some topical parts of Australia. [8] The shrub can grow at elevations from sea level to about 1,900 m (6,200 ft) above sea level. [9]
The leaves of Heterotis rotundifolia are used as a spice for sauces and as a potherb. [7] In Liberia, the plant is used as a diuretic. [10]
Eremalche rotundifolia, the desert five-spot, is a flowering plant in the family Malvaceae, native to the Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert in the Southwestern United States.
Plumbago is a genus of 23 species of flowering plants in the family Plumbaginaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the world. Common names include plumbago and leadwort.
Hakea scoparia is a species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia where it grows in shrubland. It is a shrub with ascending branches, terete leaves and clusters of cream to pinkish flowers in leaf axils from June to September.
Prunella vulgaris, the common self-heal, heal-all, woundwort, heart-of-the-earth, carpenter's herb, brownwort or blue curls, is a herbaceous plant in the mint family Lamiaceae.
Monodora myristica, the calabash nutmeg or African nutmeg, is a tropical tree of the family Annonaceae or custard apple family of flowering plants. It is native to tropical Africa from Sierra Leone in the west to Tanzania. In former times, its seeds were widely sold as an inexpensive nutmeg substitute. This is now less common outside its region of production. Other names of calabash nutmeg include Jamaican nutmeg, ehuru, ariwo, awerewa, ehiri, airama, African orchid nutmeg, muscadier de Calabash and lubushi.
Pterocaulon sphacelatum, commonly known as apple bush or fruit-salad plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is an upright shrub with mostly pink to purple flowers and is endemic to Australia.
Megaskepasma is a monotypic genus of plants containing the single species Megaskepasma erythrochlamys, known by the common name Brazilian red-cloak. Native to Venezuela and Suriname, it is a free branching, upright showy tropical shrub that grows to 3 m high with appressed reddish hairs, stout stems, and broad ovate 12–30 cm long dark green leaves with pink midrib. It is grown as an ornamental shrub in climates from warm temperate to tropical for its inflorescence, large erect heads of conspicuous crimson bracts, and two-lipped white flowers. This plant prefers a rich soil and is propagated from seed or cuttings.
Hakea tephrosperma commonly known as hooked needlewood, is a shrub or small tree species in the family Proteaceae. It has cream flowers, needle-shaped leaves and is one of the taller species in its genus, adaptable for dry to temperate locations.
Boerhavia erecta, commonly known as the erect spiderling or the erect boerhavia, is one of more than 100 species in the genus Boerhavia. It is native to the United States, Mexico, Central America, Angola and western South America, but now is cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical regions. In Africa its distribution extends from West Africa, eastwards to Somalia and down to South Africa. It has recently been found in parts of Madagascar and Réunion. In Asia, it occurs in India, Java, Malaysia, the Philippines, China and the Ryukyu Islands.
Olearia asterotricha, commonly known as rough daisy-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. A tall shrub with white, mauve or blue daisy like flowers growing from the Blue Mountains in New South Wales to western Victoria, Australia.
Costus spectabilis, commonly known as the yellow trumpet, is an African species of herb; low and perennial, it is found from Sierra Leone to Sudan to as far south as Angola and Zimbabwe.
Ipomoea oenotherae is a species of plant of the morning glory genus, Ipomoea, in the family Convolvulaceae. It derives its name from the resemblance it bears to plants in the genus Oenothera. Ipomoea oenotherae is a succulent and a cryptophyte.
Eremophila rotundifolia is a flowering plant in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a shrub with many tangled branches with its leaves and branches covered with a layer of silvery-grey hairs. Its flowers range in colour from pale to deep lilac. It is common in South Australia and there is also a single record from the Northern Territory.
Balanites pedicellaris, the small green-thorn or small torchwood is a small tree or shrub from Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a member of the caltrop family Zygophyllaceae.
Balanites rotundifolia, known in Swahili as Mbamba ngoma is a spiny bush or small tree from eastern Africa and southern Arabia. It is a member of the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae.
Vigna vexillata, the Zombi pea or wild cowpea, is a variable, perennial climbing plant that is pantropical, found in regions such as Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Venezuela.
Felicia nordenstamii is a flowering shrub in the family Asteraceae. It is found only in South Africa where it grows on limestone hills close to the sea on the southern coast. Felicia nordenstamii is a many-branched shrub growing up to 30 cm (1 ft) tall. The lower parts of the stems are covered in grayish brown bark and the upper stem has many crowded, upwardly angled, alternate leaves with long hairs on the lower surfaces. Large flower heads form at the tips of the branches, each about 41⁄2 cm across, with about thirty purplish blue ray florets surrounding many yellow disc florets.
Crassula pellucida is a creeping, succulent ground-cover, or low-growing, spreading succulent shrub. It is native to eastern and southern Africa, ranging from Kenya and Angola to South Africa.
Scaevola amblyanthera is a small shrub in the family Goodeniaceae which is found in tropical and central Australia.
Hewittia malabarica is a flowering plant in the monotypic genus HewittiaWight & Arn., belonging to the family Convolvulaceae and widespread throughout tropical Africa, Asia, and Polynesia. It is a climbing or prostrate perennial herb with slender stems and flowers that are pale yellow, cream, or white with a purple center, and large leaves that can be used as a cooked vegetable or used in folk medicine with the roots. The stems can be used to make ropes.