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Pechuel-loeschea

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Pechuel-loeschea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Inuleae
Genus: Pechuel-loeschea
O.Hoffm.
Species:
P. leubnitziae
Binomial name
Pechuel-loeschea leubnitziae
Synonyms[1]
  • Piptocarpha leubnitziae Kuntze
  • Pluchea leubnitziae (Kuntze) N.E.Br.

Pechuel-loeschea, (common names; stinkbush,[2] sweatbush,[3] or bitterbos,[2][4]) is a monotypic genus of African plants in the elecampane tribe within the sunflower family, and named after the German plant collector and geographer Eduard Pechuël-Loesche (1840-1913).[5]

The only known species is Pechuel-loeschea leubnitziae,[6][7] (or 'wild sage'[3][8]) which is native to Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the Cape Provinces and the Northern Provinces, (in South Africa).[9] The Latin specific epithet of leubnitziae refers to Leubnitzia, the maiden name of Pechuel-Loesche's wife.[3]

Description

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Strongly aromatic shrubby perennial herb. It grows up to 1.3 m (4 ft 3 in) tall. Most parts are densely grey-velvety and with short glandular hairs. It has alternately arranged leaves, which are (sub)sessile (without a leaf stalk). They are narrowly obovate-elliptic in shape and about 4.5 cm (2 in) long and 0.7 cm wide. They are velvety-grey on both leaf surfaces with a midrib prominent also on both surfaces. The margin is entire (smooth). It blooms between March and July. It has a capitula (a dense cluster of sessile or subsessile flowers) which are terminal (at the end) of 1-3 in the leaf axils. They more or less funnel-shaped and up to 1.3 cm long. The involucral scales (surround the flower head) are greyish glandular and hairy. The florets are purple with the central ray florets absent.[3]

Habitat

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It is found growing in alkaline and sandy soils in dry wooded grassland or open woodland. It is often found in large amount growing along roadsides and disturbed areas.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  2. ^ a b Umberto Quattrocchi CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms ... (1999), p. 1984, at Google Books
  3. ^ a b c d e "Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Pechuel-Loeschea leubnitziae". www.zimbabweflora.co.zw. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  4. ^ Patricia Craven and Christine Marais Namib Flora: Swakopmund to the Giant Welwitschia Via Goanikontes (1986), p. 58, at Google Books
  5. ^ Burkhardt, Lotte (2018). Verzeichnis eponymischer Pflanzennamen – Erweiterte Edition [Index of Eponymic Plant Names – Extended Edition] (pdf) (in German). Berlin: Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum, Freie Universität Berlin. doi:10.3372/epolist2018. ISBN 978-3-946292-26-5. Retrieved 1 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Pechuel-Loeschea | Species Dictionary | Southern Africa | iSpot Nature". www.ispotnature.org. Retrieved 2017-08-16.
  7. ^ Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  8. ^ Tedder, Michelle; Morris, Craig; Kirkman, Kevin P.; Trollope, Westleigh Matthew; Bonyongo, Mpaphi Casper (December 2012). "The influence of Pechuel-Loeschea leubnitziae (wild sage) on grass sward and soil seed bank composition". African Journal of Range and Forage Science. 29 (3): 101–107. Bibcode:2012AJRFS..29..101T. doi:10.2989/10220119.2012.720280.
  9. ^ "Pechuel-loeschea O.Hoffm. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 9 November 2021.