User:DavidAnstiss/Pterodiscus speciosus

DavidAnstiss/Pterodiscus speciosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Pedaliaceae
Genus:	Pterodiscus
Species:	P. speciosus
Binomial name
Pterodiscus speciosus Hook.
Synonyms
Harpagophytum pinnatifidum Engl.

Pterodiscus speciosus is a flowering plant in the genus Pterodiscus. It's found in Southern Africa and Botswana, growing in a well-drained soil/grit with some water and lots of sun. The caudex can grow to four centimetres, the stem up to 20 centimetres height. The flowers are white over pink to red.

Pedaliaceae, H. D. Ihlenfeldt. Flora Zambesiaca 8:3. 1988

Morphology General Habit Perennial herb, up to 20 cm. high; the basal organ a short woody stem arising from a subterranean usually pyriform tuber. Morphology Leaves Leaves lanceolate, up to 6 cm. long and 1.5 cm. broad, usually pinnatilobed and with 5 pairs of lateral veins. Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Flowers red-purple; tube cylindrical, 25–50 mm. long, limb 30–45 mm. in diam.; lobes with darker stripes leading to the dark red throat; anterior lobe enlarged. Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits Fruit ovate to rotund in lateral view, normally c. 18 mm. long and c. 16 mm. broad, but sometimes up to 22 mm. long; the wings c. 3 mm. broad; a separate beak not discernible. Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Seeds one in each loculus. Flora Zambesiaca

Description

a perennial suffrutex with a tuberous caudex, underground in the wild, often raised in cultivation. The tuber is bright yellow, up to 2.4inches (6cm in diameter) and up to 20 inches (5oocm) tall. The stems are deciduous and generally die in winter when the plant is dormant. They are erect, slender, coming up from the tuber and up to 10 inches (25cm) tall. The flowers are tubular and bright red-purple, purplish-pink to yellowish-pink in colour. Seed capsules have small hooked harpoons.

Perennial herb up to 20 cm high with a short woody stem growing from a pyriform tuber. Leaves lanceolate, up to 6 cm long, usually pinnatilobed and with 5 pairs of lateral veins. Flowers red-purple with a cylindric tube 25-50 mm long, limb 30-45 mm in diameter; lobes with darker stripes leading to the dark red throat; lower lobe enlarged. Fruit ovate to rotund, 4-winged, 18-22 mm long, without a beak.

Habitat: In alluvial soil in grassland.

Family: Pedaliaceae Origin: Southern Africa, Botswana Soil: Mix Water: Medium Sun: Maximum Thickness: 4 Centimetres Height: 20 Centimetres Flower: White over Pink to Red

Growth Habits: Carrot shaped tuber, underground in the wild, often raised in cultivation. The stems are deciduous, and generally die in winter when the plant is dormant. Blooming Habits: Purple funnel-form flowers. The plant starts blooming while quite small. The fruits have 4 wings.

a handsome greenhouse perennial, requiring full exposure to sunlight. It has large globose tuberous roots, the upper part of which is elevated above the earth, producing from its summit a stem which divides into erect thick branches, reaching 2ft high, furnished with opposite sinuate dentate leaves, and bearing showy flowers in the axils of the leaves. These flowers are large, with a funnel-shaped tube, and a spreading five-lobed limb of a beautiful lilac or reddish-purple colour, rendering the plant well worthy of cultivation for its ornamental qualities. It flowers during the early part of the summer. This species has been collected and sent from South Africa.

perennial, suffrutex height 0.05-0.25m stems slender, erect, arising from a woody rootstock, leaves, linear-lanceolate, opposite, the margins with sharp teeth, flowers spring-summer, red and purple, broadly funnel shaped, axillary fruit ovate and winged

Collected in Macalisberg in South Africa by Mr Burke collecting on behalf a nobleman. In May 1844, a specimen flowered in the stove at Knowsley Hall. It had a tuberous root, which was large solitary globose, with the upper part elevated above the earth, and producing from its summit, a stem which then divided into several erect rather stout, succulent branches, bearing opposite leaves and large handsome red-purple flowers in the axils of those leaves, nearly as large and showy of those of an Hibiscus.

Taxonomy

It has the common names of

English common name - Orphan's heart

Known in Tswana (of South Africa) as 'kgaane', 'kgankale', 'kganyane', 'kibing', 'monontshana' and 'nkgane'.

ptero pteron greek for wing and diskos disc, circle, speciosus latin showy

The Latin specific epithet speciosus derives from

The genera name from Latin ptero; 'winged' and Latin discus; 'disc'. The species name after the showy or handsome flowers. Derivation of specific name: speciosa: showy, good-looking.

winged disc referring to the broadly winged fruit,

It was first published and described by William Jackson Hooker, in Curtis's Bot. Mag. Vol.70 on table 4117 in 1844.

Iris stolonifera is an accepted name by the RHS,

Last-listed in the RHS Plant Finder in 2007

Family Pedaliaceae

Name Status RHS Accepted name

Distribution and habitat

Pterodiscus speciosus is native to

Range

It is found in

Native to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Zimbabwe. Worldwide distribution: Botswana and South Africa. Origin: South Africa (Mpumalanga) Native to: Botswana, Also it is found also within the Provinces of South Africa in Cape Provinces, Free State and Northern Provinces. Plant range Temp S Africa

Habitat

It grows on

Cultivation

It is

USDA 10b-11b how to grow - not common in cultivation as the seed does not germinate easily. propagation by cuttings is not easy either, as they do not root easily either. Although, growing is easy. Needs plenty of warmth and plenty of water during the growing season, but should be kept dry during winter. In wild they can reach up to 13 feet (4m) but will not grow that high in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. Grows in very well drained potting soil with occasional diluted fertilizer feeds for young plants.

Propagate: Seeds

Recommended Temperature Zone: USDA: 10b-11 Watering Needs: No water in winter when the plant is dormant. Rots quite easily. You can collect them and plant the seeds in the spring

Uses

notes used in traditional medicine to calm someone after a bereavement or bad shock, taken with milk. Very narcotic.

Other sources

• Ihlenfeldt, H.-D. (1988). Pedaliaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(3) Pages 93 - 94. (Includes a picture).
• Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 288. (Includes a picture).
• Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 92.

External links

• Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Pterodiscus speciosus". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.
• Images of Pterodiscus speciosus

Data related to DavidAnstiss/Pterodiscus speciosus at Wikispecies {{Taxonbar|from=Q16751030}}