Cyanotis foecunda Hassk.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ridge on Mt Shangani, Chimanimani mountains.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mt Gorongosa

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Synonyms:	Cyanotis minima De Wild. Cyanotis montana K. Schum.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb, usually with a distinct base in the form of a tuberous rhizome or sometimes a cluster of corms. Stems decumbent or ascending, occasionally scrambling into bushes up the 60 cm tall, unbranched or branching from the lower nodes, sparsely hairy to densely appressed white pubescent. Leaves distichous, narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate-oblong, 2.5-15 cm long, flat or folded along the length, mostly hairless above, except for submarginal bands of hairs, densely whitish or greyish hairy; margin ciliate. Inflorescences mostly axillary, sessile, 5-16 per shoot in the axils of leafy, strongly decrescent bracts; shoots often zigzag. Corolla blue to violet, mauve or lilac; stamens with filaments up to 10 mm long, bearded with blue or violet hairs; style usually hairless or very sparsely bearded, with an apical finely pointed swelling.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	In woodland, bushland, thickets and grassland, often on bare ground and in rock crevices. Also on termite mounds and occasionally in swampy places.
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread from Cameroon to Ethiopia and South to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 11. Faden, R. (2012). Commelinaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 26 - 27. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 48. (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 87. Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 39 - 40. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 117. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 181. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 82.

Other sources of information about Cyanotis foecunda:

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Flora of Botswana: Cyanotis foecunda
Flora of Burundi: Cyanotis foecunda
Flora of Malawi: Cyanotis foecunda
Flora of Mozambique: Cyanotis foecunda
Flora of Zambia: Cyanotis foecunda
Flora of Zimbabwe: Cyanotis foecunda

External websites:

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