Tristemma mauritianum J.F. Gmel.
var. mauritianum

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Picture: Neil Crouch
Haroni Gorge, Chimanimani

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Synonyms:	Tristemma grandifolium (Cogn.) Gilg Tristemma incompletum R. Br. Tristemma schumacheri Guill. & Perr.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Erect or scrambling perennial herb up to 1.5 m tall. Stems rather fleshy, sharply 4-angled or even slightly winged, with short stiff purplish bristles. Leaves opposite, ovate-elliptic, up to 15 cm long, dark green above, paler below, with short rough hairs on both surfaces, 5-7-veined from the base. Flowers in dense heads, pale pink or mauve. Stamens all similar with a deeply 2-lobed basal appendage on the pedoconnective. Fruit c. 16 × 10 mm, purplish-brown.
Type location:	Mauritius
Notes:	Zimbabwean records of Tristemma mauritianum have been named var. mauritianum. The variety of the Zambian plants is not known but we have provisionally also placed them under var. mauritianum.
Derivation of specific name:	mauritianum: from Mauritius
Habitat:	Along forest margins and on river banks.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in Tropical Africa, Madagascar and Mauritius.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	N,W
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Nw,Lp
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. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 57. Fernandes, R. & A. (1978). Melastomataceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 231 - 233. As Tristemma mauritianum (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 61. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Pages 120 - 121.

Other sources of information about Tristemma mauritianum var. mauritianum:

Our websites:

Flora of the DRC: Tristemma mauritianum var. mauritianum
Flora of Malawi: Tristemma mauritianum var. mauritianum
Flora of Mozambique: Tristemma mauritianum var. mauritianum
Flora of Rwanda: Tristemma mauritianum var. mauritianum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Tristemma mauritianum var. mauritianum

External websites:

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