| Heliophila africana | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Brassicales |
| Family: | Brassicaceae |
| Genus: | Heliophila |
| Species: | H. africana |
| Binomial name | |
| Heliophila africana (L.) Marais | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Heliophila africana, the African sunspurge or little blue mouth, is a species of plant from South Africa.
This annual herb grows up to 135 cm (53 in) tall. [2] [3] It is most commonly 60–70 cm (24–28 in) and may be sparely branched. [4] The leaves are lance shaped and are sometimes toothed. They lack stipules. [2] They grow to be up to 13 cm (5.1 in) long and sometimes have lobes. [4] The lower leaves grow on stalks, while the upper leaves are stalkless. [3]
Flowers, which are blue or mauve in colour, are most common between August and October. [2] They have four round petals with basal appendages surrounding a white center and a yellow stamen. [2] [3] While one appendage per petal is most common, they may rarely have two. [4] They contain 20-52 ovules. [2] The flowers are only open when it is warm, and will close when the environment cools. [3]
The fruits are liner. They are 13–100 mm (0.51–3.94 in) long. [2] They are flat or slightly rounded in cross-section with straight margins and 3-nerved valves although rare 5-valved specimens have been found). The seeds are subcircular or a broad oblong in shape and are 1.7–2.3 mm (0.067–0.091 in) long. [4]
This species is endemic to South Africa. It is found between Namaqualand and Swellendam, although it is most common between the Cape Peninsula and Clanwilliam. [4] It prefers sandy flats, where it grows between bushes and rocks. [2] [3]
Fatty acids make up approximately a third of the seed's dry weight for this species. Approximately 41% of this is made up of very-long-chain fatty acids. Linoleic acid makes up around 22% of the seed fatty acids. The relatively high levels of nervonic acid and lower levels of erucic acid may make this species one of commercial interest. [5]
Agapanthus africanus, or the African lily, is a flowering plant from the genus Agapanthus found only on rocky sandstone slopes of the winter rainfall fynbos from the Cape Peninsula to Swellendam. It is also known as the lily-of-the-Nile in spite of only occurring in South Africa.
Moraea aristata is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is referred to by the common names blue-eyed uintjie or Blouooguintjie in Afrikaans.It is endemic to the city of Cape Town and is considered to be critically endangered.
Baeometra is a genus in the family Colchicaceae containing a single species, Baeometra uniflora. It is native to South Africa, where it is commonly called beetle lily due to the dark markings on the tepals.
Geissorhiza aspera, also known as the blue satin flower or blou sysie, is a geophyte from South Africa.
Wahlenbergia capensis, commonly known as the Cape bluebell, is a plant in the family Campanulaceae and is native to the Cape Province but has been introduced to Australia. It is an annual herb with up to four greenish blue, bell-shaped flowers with spreading petal lobes.
Protea burchellii, also known as Burchell's sugarbush, is a flowering shrub in the genus Protea, which is endemic to the southwestern Cape Region of South Africa.
Lobostemon montanus, the turquoise bush bugloss, mountain lobostemon or agtdaegeneesbos, is a South African species belonging to the forget-me-not family.
Lobostemon argenteus, or the silver healthbush, blue rocket bugloss or disselblaarluibos, is a species in the forget-me-not family that is endemic to South Africa.
Lobostemon echioides, the common healthbush, is the mostly widely distributed species in its genus. It is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa, where it is found growing between Namaqualand and the Karoo and the Eastern Cape.
Juncus capillaceus is a rush species native to South America, but has been introduced to other parts of the world.
Cyphia bulbosa, also known by its common name Bulb Baroe, is a species of flowering plant from the genus Cyphia.
Isoetes stellenbossiensis, the Stellenbosch quillwort or Cape Flats quillwort, is a species of plant from South Africa.
Cheiridopsis purpurea is a species of succulent plant from South Africa. It is found growing in the succulent Karoo vegetation type.
Cheiridopsis velox is a species of succulent plant from South Africa.
Helichrysum retortum, the flask everlasting or sea strawflower, is a species of plant from South Africa.
Helichrysum sphaeroideum is a species of flowering plant in family Asteraceae. It is native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.
Syncarpha speciosissima, the Cape everlasting or Cape sewejaartjie, is a species of plant from South Africa.
Dimorphotheca dregei, or bietou, is a species of plant from South Africa.
Heliophila pusilla, the dainty sunspurge, is a species of plant in family Brassicaceae. It is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.
Lachenalia variegata, also known as the spotty viooltjie, is a species of plant from the Western Cape of South Africa.