| Lobostemon daltonii | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Boraginales |
| Family: | Boraginaceae |
| Genus: | Lobostemon |
| Species: | L. daltonii |
| Binomial name | |
| Lobostemon daltonii Buys | |
Lobostemon daltonii, the Infanta healthbush, is a species of the forget-me-not family endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.
This shrublet grows 30–100 cm (0.98–3.28 ft) tall. [1] [2] It has an alternate branching pattern and the herbaceous branches are sparsely hairy. The stalkless leaves are leathery and usually sparsely (rarely very) hairy. [1] [2] When sparsely hairy, the hairs are largely confined to the margins, the midvein and the tip of the leaf. [2] They are oval shaped with a narrower end at the base. [1] The sides may curve downwards (particularly in basal leaves) or upwards. [2]
Flowers are present between August and November and are borne in cymes, with the young buds arranged in two distinct rows. [1] [2] They are blue with conspicuous brown hairs at the tips of the sepals when they are young. [1] The petals are dissimilar in length, with the two anterior lobes being larger than any of the other three petals. [2] The outside of the flower is hairy. [1] The stamens protrude past the petals in adult flowers. [2] The staminal scales are ridge-like. [1]
This species is found between Potberg (De Hoop) and Cape Infanta, where it grows on limestone flats. [1] It is known from only four sites. [3] It seems to prefer the loamy soils in the transition zone between Mountain Fynbos and South and South-west Coast Renosterveld. [2]
This species is classified as endangered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Despite its already restricted range, the population continues to decline as a result of agricultural expansion, development of holiday homes and the spread of invasive alien acacias. [3]