Biology:Tragia durbanensis

From HandWiki
Short description: Species of creeper


Stinging nettle creeper
Tragia glabrata 01 02 2011.JPG
Tragia glabrata2 01 02 2011.JPG
T. durbanensis from Athlone Park, Amanzimtoti, South Africa
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Genus: Tragia
Species:
T. durbanensis
Binomial name
Tragia durbanensis
Kuntze
Synonyms

See text

Tragia durbanensis, the stinging nettle creeper, is a twining herb in the family Euphorbiaceae,[1] with a restricted distribution in southern Africa.[2] There are some 150 species in the genus Tragia.[3]

Distribution and habitat

It is native to the coastal areas of Mozambique and eastern coastal areas of South Africa .[1] These plants are found in dune forest,[4] in woodland and on forest margins.[1]

Description

A much-branched climbing perennial herb, with twining stems up to 2.5 m originating from a woody rootstock.[5] The leaves are hairless or thinly hairy with serrated margins.[1] The hairs sting fiercely.[1] Inflorescences are up to 5.5 cm long with peduncles up to 2 cm long.[5] The inflorescences are composed mostly of tiny[1] male flowers with 1–2 female flowers below or else all male.[5]

Synonyms

  • Tragia capensis E.Mey. ex Sond. [Illegitimate name]
  • Tragia glabrata (Müll.Arg.) Pax & K.Hoffm. [Illegitimate name]
  • Tragia glabrata var. hispida Radcl.-Sm.
  • Tragia meyeriana var. glabrata Müll.Arg.

Ecological significance

This species is one of the larval foodplants of four species of butterfly; Eurytela hiarbas, Eurytela dryope, Byblia ilithyia and Byblia anvatara.[6]

Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to Wild Flowers; KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. ISBN:0-620-21500-3.
  2. Swaziland's Flora Database: Tragia glabrata (Müll.Arg.) Pax & K.Hoffm. var. glabrata: http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/speciesinfo.asp?spid=1670, retrieved 1 March 2011.
  3. "Search results — the Plant List". http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/search?q=Tragia. 
  4. JSTOR PLANT SCIENCE: Entry for Tragia glabrata var. glabrata [family EUPHORBIACEAE]: http://plants.jstor.org/flora/fz7111, retrieved 1 March 2011.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 JSTOR PLANT SCIENCE: Entry for Tragia glabrata Müll. Arg. Pax & K. Hoffm. [family EUPHORBIACEAE]: http://plants.jstor.org/flora/fz7110, retrieved 1 March 2011.
  6. Williams, M. (1994). Butterflies of Southern Africa; A Field Guide. Southern Book Publishers. ISBN:1-86812-516-5.

Wikidata ☰ Q15384902 entry