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Ornithoglossum vulgare
Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (11)
Photo: Bill Clarke
Near gum plantation, Val D'Or
Photo: Bill Clarke
Near gum plantation, Val D'Or
Photo: Bill Clarke
Near gum plantation, Val D'Or
Photo: Bart Wursten
Great Dyke, nr Kopje Tops, Mavhuradonha Wilderness Area
Photo: Bart Wursten
Great Dyke, nr Kopje Tops, Mavhuradonha Wilderness Area
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Ornithoglossum glaucum sensu auct. non Salisb. Ornithoglossum viride auct. non (L.f.) Aiton |
| Common names: | Bird's tongue (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Perennial herb, up to c. 70 cm tall, growing from a ovoid-oblong corm, up to 30 cm below the surface. Leaves up to 12, usually 4-7, erect, spreading or recurved, linear-lanceolate, 10 - 30 cm long, blue-green, waxy. Inflorescence 5 - 30 cm long, up to c. 25-flowered. Flowers purplish-brown, to dark purple-red, rarely yellow; base of the filaments green, upper part and anthers brown. Pedicels and tepals spreading at first, later reflexed. Ovary green, 3-lobed, c. 2 × 2 cm enlarging soon. Capsule globose, 15 × 10 mm, bluntly 3-lobed at the apex. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | vulgare: vulgar, common, usual |
| Habitat: | In miombo woodland, occasionally in mopane or other woodland, mostly on sandy soils. |
| Altitude range: | 450 - 1400 m |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Botswana, Namibia, 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: | Diaphone eumela (Larval foodplant) |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 50 - 51. (Includes a picture). La Croix, I. (2009). Colchicaceae Flora Zambesiaca 12(2) Pages 189 - 190. (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 86. Maroyi, A (2002). Colchicaceae in Zimbabwe Kirkia 18(1) Page 7. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 107. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 117. van der Walt, R. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Limpopo Valley Retha van der Walt, Musina, South Africa Page 325. |
Other sources of information about Ornithoglossum vulgare:
Our websites:
Flora of Botswana: Ornithoglossum vulgareFlora of Mozambique: Ornithoglossum vulgare
Flora of Zambia: Ornithoglossum vulgare
Flora of Zimbabwe: Ornithoglossum vulgare
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Ornithoglossum vulgareAfrican Plant Database: Ornithoglossum vulgare
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Ornithoglossum vulgare
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Ornithoglossum vulgare
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Ornithoglossum vulgare
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Ornithoglossum vulgare
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Ornithoglossum vulgare
JSTOR Plant Science: Ornithoglossum vulgare
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Ornithoglossum vulgare
Plants of the World Online: Ornithoglossum vulgare
Tropicos: Ornithoglossum vulgare
Wikipedia: Ornithoglossum vulgare
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