Duvalia polita N.E. Br.
var. polita

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along Zvishavane - Mbalabala road

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along secondary dirt road below Mt Buchwa near junction with main Zvishavane Rutenga road.

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Synonyms:	Ceropegia polita (N.E.Br.) Bruyns Duvalia dentata N.E. Br. Duvalia polita N.E. Br. var. transvaalensis (Schltr.) A.C. White & B. Sloane Duvalia polita N.E. Br. var. parviflora (L. Bolus) A.C. White & B. Sloane Duvalia transvaalensis Schltr. var. parviflora L. Bolus Duvalia transvaalensis Schltr.
Common names:	Polished star (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Succulent perennial. Stems branched, more or less erect, 6-angled, tubercles with a fleshy spine-like tip. Flowers in clusters of 3-4 on the young stems, up to 3.8 cm in diameter, maroon often streaked. Corolla lobes smooth and shiny in the basal half, with club-shaped hairs between the lobes.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	polita: polished, referring to the smooth and shiny appearance of the base of the corolla lobes.
Habitat:	In dry Mopane or Acacia woodland and scrub in sandy soils or on stony hillsides.
Flowering time:	Jan - Mar
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatinia and South Africa.
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:	Lower Risk - least concern
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Wednesday 8 June 2016
Literature:	Bruyns, P.V. (2005). Stapeliads of Southern Africa and Madagascar Volume I Umdaus Press, Hatfield, South Africa Pages 71 - 73. (Includes a picture). Bruyns, P.V. (2014). The Apocynaceae of Namibia Strelitzia 34 SANBI, Pretoria, South Africa Pages 95 - 96. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 14. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 178. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Namibia Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 75. Goyder, D.J., Gilbert, M.G. & Venter, H.J.T. (2020). Apocynaceae (Part 2) Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 196 - 198. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 117. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 369. as: duvalia polita (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 20. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 25. Plowes, D.C.H. (1971). Stapeliads in Rhodesia Excelsa 1 Page 17. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 26.

Other sources of information about Duvalia polita var. polita:

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Flora of Botswana: Duvalia polita var. polita
Flora of Malawi: Duvalia polita var. polita
Flora of Mozambique: Duvalia polita var. polita
Flora of Zambia: Duvalia polita var. polita
Flora of Zimbabwe: Duvalia polita var. polita

External websites:

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