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Family:
Gesneriaceae (African violet family) Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Lamiales
About 147 genera and 3200 species, found patchily worldwide
but mainly in the Old World (especially China). One genus and 63 species are
native to southern Africa (Streptocarpus), with an additional 12 genera
and 22 species cultivated in the region.
Distinguishing characteristics
- Herbs or soft-stemmed shrubs with opposite, serrate leaves that usually
have soft hairs.
- The leaves have arching, ascending secondary veins that do not join at
the margin.
- Flower are symmetric in only one axis (monosymmetric) and the ovary has
parietal placentation.
Information from
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.
Genera native to southern Africa
Streptocarpus
About 125 species, native to Madagascar, tropical and
southern Africa, with about 63 species native to southern Africa, and an
additional three species cultivated in the region.
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Other genera, cultivated in
southern Africa
List from Glen (2002). The species name is provided in
genera that have only one species cultivated in southern Africa.
Achimenes longiflora
Native to Central America. |
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Aeschynanthus
Two species cultivated. |
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Chirita lavandulacea
Native to Vietnam. |
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Codonanthe gracilis
Native to Brazil. |
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Columnea Three
species cultivated. |
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Corytoplectus capitatus
Native to Venezuela. |
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Episcia
Three species cultivated. |
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Kohleria One
unidentified species cultivated. |
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Lysionotus serratus
Native to India. |
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Nematanthus gregarius (Goldfish
plant) Native to Brazil. |
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Sinningia Three
species cultivated. |
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Smithiantha zebrina
Native to Mexico. |
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Publications
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Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of
Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
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Smithies, S.J. 2000. Gesneriaceae. In: Seed Plants of
Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 314.
National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
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