Home | > | List of families | > | Zingiberaceae | > | Siphonochilus | > | kirkii |
Synonyms: |
Kaempferia carsonii Baker Kaempferia kirkii (Hook.f.) Wittm. & Perring Kaempferia rosea Baker Siphonochilus carsonii (Baker) Lock Siphonochilus decorus (Druten) Lock |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | Occasional |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Perennial herb from a short thick rhizome, frequently occurring in colonies (or clones?). Flowers borne on an elongated peduncle. Leaves fully or partially developed at time of flowering. Leaf blade broadly elliptic, 2-5 times as long as broad; very short or absent, the leaf bases tapering to a long false petiole; ligule absent. Labellum either pink or mauve, with various colour patterns towards the base, or pure yellow. |
Type location: |
Tanzanian coast |
Notes: | Yellow-flowered plants were formerly regarded as a separate species under the name Siphonochilus decorus (Druten) B.L. Burtt. Recent genetic research established this is merely a colour form and the two forms are now considered conspecific with the name S. decorus as a synonym. |
Derivation of specific name: | kirkii: named after Dr John Kirk, who accompanied David Livingstone on his Zambezi expedition of 1858 |
Habitat: | In Zambia the pink flowered forms occur in Kalahari and mopane woodland, on floodplain termite mounds and on dolomitic soils, mostly below 1000 m. The yellow flowered forms occur on steep sided termite mounds or in rocky terrain, at altitudes above 1000 m |
Altitude range: | Up to 1200 m |
Flowering time: | Nov - Jan |
Worldwide distribution: | Sudan, D.R. Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and the Caprivi. |
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): | B,C,E,S |
Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Nw,Cb,E,C,Lk,S,W |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | Physcaeneura pione (Food plant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Wednesday 19 November 2014 |
Literature: |
Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 240 - 241. (Includes a picture). Bolnick, D. (2007). A Guide to the Common Wild Flowers of Zambia and Neighbouring Regions Revised Edition. WECS, Lusaka, Zambia Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 51. 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 142. Lock, J.M. (2010). Zingiberaceae Flora Zambesiaca 13(4) Pages 125 - 127. (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 112. Also as S. carsonii and S. decorus Moriarty, A. (1975). Wild Flowers of Malawi Purnell & sons Cape Town. Pages 35 - 36. as Kaempferia rosea (Includes a picture). Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 115. (Includes a picture). Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 28, plate 47 & 48 |
Home | > | List of families | > | Zingiberaceae | > | Siphonochilus | > | kirkii |