Erica benguelensis (Welw. ex Engl.) E.G.H. Oliv.
var. benguelensis

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along main road between Lake Kaulime turn-off and Kaperepeze road, Nyika National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road between Dam 3 and Chozi View Point, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:	Philippia benguelensis (Welw. ex Oliv.) Britten Philippia congoensis S. Moore Philippia holstii Engl. Philippia kundelungensis S. Moore Philippia milanjiensis Britten & Rendle Philippia stuhlmannii Engl. Salaxis benguelensis Welw. ex Engl.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	A shrub or tree up to 6 m tall. Branchlets densely pubescencent and usually with sparser longer glandular hairs. Leaves in whorls of 4, narrowly ovate, mostly up to 5 mm long, pubescent above; margin reflexed; petioles 0·5–0·7 mm long, pubescent. Flowers in terminal clusters of 4–12. Pedicels 1–2 mm long, pubescent. Calyx bowl–shaped, shortly pubescent; margin glandular or fimbriate; 3 lobes broadly triangular, about equalling the sinuses of the corolla, fused for 2/3 of their length; 4th lobe somewhat longer, almost equalling to slightly exceeding the corolla. Corolla bowl–shaped, pubescent outside, 1·1–1·8 mm long and 1·5–2·5 mm wide, pale green, often tinged reddish. Stamens usually 8 but from 5 to 9 in some flowers, slightly exceeding the corolla; style short, 0·1–0·3 mm, exceeded by the stamens until the capsule begins to ripen.
Notes:	See var. albescens for comparison.
Derivation of specific name:	benguelensis: after the Benguella region of Angola
Habitat:	In clearings and on edges of Brachystegia woodland and forest, in secondary scrub and bush clumps in montane grassland, sometimes forming dense stands.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, eastern DRC, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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:	Sunday 27 October 2019
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 141. Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 726. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 861. As Erica benguelensis Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 54. 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 Philippia benguelensis Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 265. As Philippia benguelensis 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 40. As Erica benguelensis Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 47. Ross, R. (1983). Ericaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 179 - 180. As Philippia benguelensis benguelensis Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 82. White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 233 - 234. As Erica benguelensis (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Mozambique: Erica benguelensis var. benguelensis
Flora of Zambia: Erica benguelensis var. benguelensis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Erica benguelensis var. benguelensis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Erica benguelensis
African Plant Database: Erica benguelensis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Erica benguelensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Erica benguelensis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Erica benguelensis
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iNaturalist: Erica benguelensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Erica benguelensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Erica benguelensis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Erica benguelensis
Plants of the World Online: Erica benguelensis
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Wikipedia: Erica benguelensis