Nemesia caerulea

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Nemesia caerulea
Nemesia caerulea (26529571855).jpg
Nemesia caerulea in South Africa.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Genus: Nemesia
Species:
N. caerulea
Binomial name
Nemesia caerulea

Nemesia caerulea is a blue- to purple- flowered herbaceous perennial member of the family Scrophulariaceae. [1] The plant is native to the Cape Floristic Province of southwestern South Africa, where it grows at low elevations on fully exposed north-facing and northwest-facing slopes in association with other native grasses and forbs. [2] Its chromosome number is 2n=18. [3]

It produces many small flowers in shades of pink, blue and white (the Latin caerulea means "dark blue"). [4] The flowers are two-lipped, the upper lip with four lobes and the lower lip with two lobes. In cultivation the two lips are often different colours. [5]

In temperate regions it is usually grown as an annual. The cultivar 'Sea Mist' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [6]

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<i>Phygelius aequalis</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Nemesia</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Nemesia is a genus of annuals, perennials and sub-shrubs which are native to sandy coasts or disturbed ground in South Africa. Numerous hybrids have been selected, and the annual cultivars are popular with gardeners as bedding plants. In temperate regions they are usually treated as half-hardy, grown from seed in heat, and planted out after all danger of frost has passed.

<i>Diascia</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Diascia is a genus of around 70 species of herbaceous annual and perennial flowering plants of the family Scrophulariaceae, native to southern Africa, including South Africa, Lesotho and neighbouring areas.

<i>Iris aucheri</i> Species of plant

Iris aucheri, the Aucher-Éloy iris, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is a bulbous perennial in the Juno group of irises.

<i>Thymus pulegioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Thymus pulegioides, common names broad-leaved thyme or lemon thyme, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe. Growing to 5–25 cm (2–10 in) tall by 25 cm (10 in) wide, it is a small spreading subshrub with strongly aromatic leaves, and lilac pink flowers in early summer. The specific epithet pulegioides highlights its similarity to another species within Lamiaceae, Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal).

<i>Nemesia denticulata</i> Species of plant in the genus Nemesia

Nemesia denticulata, the toothed aloha, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Nemesia of the figwort family Scrophulariaceae. It is native to the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. A mat‑forming perennial useful for borders, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

References

  1. Datson, Paul M.; Brian G. Murray; Keith R. W. Hammett (2006). "Pollination systems, hybridization barriers and meiotic chromosome behaviour in Nemesia hybrids". Euphytica. 151 (2): 173–185. doi:10.1007/s10681-006-9138-z. S2CID   42283708.
  2. Brand, Robert F.; Du Preez, Pieter J.; Brown, Leslie R. (2008). "A floristic description of the Afromontane fynbos communities on Platberg, Eastern Free State, South Africa". African Protected Area Conservation and Science. 50 (1). Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  3. Steiner, Kim E. (1996). "Chromosome Numbers and Relationships in Tribe Hemimerideae (Scrophulariaceae)". Systematic Botany. 21 (1): 63–76. doi:10.2307/2419563. JSTOR   2419563.
  4. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN   978-1-84533-731-5.
  5. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN   978-1-4053-3296-5.
  6. "RHS Plant Selector - Nemesia caerulea 'Sea Mist'" . Retrieved 3 January 2021.