Polygala virgata Thunb.
var. decora (Sond.) Harv.

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Polygala virgata var. decora

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperekeza road, Nyika National Park

Polygala virgata var. decora

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperekeza road, Nyika National Park

Polygala virgata var. decora

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperekeza road, Nyika National Park

Polygala virgata var. decora

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperekeza road, Nyika National Park

Polygala virgata var. decora

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperekeza road, Nyika National Park

Polygala virgata var. decora

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperekeza road, Nyika National Park

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names: Pride of Manicaland (English) September bush (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Perennial, sparsely branched shrub, up to 3 m. Leaves linear to narrowly elliptic, 2-9 cm long. Flowers up to 3 cm in diameter, showy, in many-flowered terminal racemes, pale to deep lilac, pink or purple. Capsule obovate, c. 10 × 8 mm, hairless with a slightly winged margin.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: virgata: twiggy
Habitat: Along forest margins, stream banks and in bracken scrub between forest and montane grassland.
Altitude range: 1200 - 2300 m
Flowering time:Jul - Aug (-Dec)
Worldwide distribution: DRC, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Malawi distribution: N,C,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Monday 5 November 2018
Literature:

Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 66 - 67. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 227.

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 395. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 45.

Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 29. As Polygala virgata

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 250.

Exell, A.W. (1960). Polygalaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 318 - 330. (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 68.

Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 68, plates 94 & 95

Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 34. as Polygala virgata (Includes a picture).

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 154.

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 97.

Other sources of information about Polygala virgata var. decora:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Polygala virgata var. decora
Flora of Zambia: Polygala virgata var. decora
Flora of Zimbabwe: Polygala virgata var. decora
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Polygala virgata var. decora

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Polygala virgata
African Plant Database: Polygala virgata
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Polygala virgata
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Polygala virgata
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Polygala virgata
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Polygala virgata
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Polygala virgata
JSTOR Plant Science: Polygala virgata
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Polygala virgata
Plants of the World Online: Polygala virgata
Tropicos: Polygala virgata
Wikipedia: Polygala virgata


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Malawi: Species information: Polygala virgata var. decora.
https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=133920, retrieved 19 March 2024

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