Afroqueta Explained

Afroqueta capensis is the only member of Afroqueta, a monotypic genus of flowering plant.^[1] It is colloquially called Haarbossie.^[2]

Description

Morphology

Afroqueta capensis is a perennial subshrub. It has thick and woody roots, 4 - 6 inch long stems, and 1-1.5 inch long leaves.^[3] Older stems appear purple in color.^[4] It can be distinguished from other members of the Turneroideae by its 10 veined nearly free calyx tubes and its corona which is reduced to tufts of hairs around the base of the perianth.^[5]

Its flowers are described as heterostylous or homostylous and yellow. ^{[6] [7]}

Taxonomy

In 1862, W.H.Harvey would make the initial description of A. capensis, classifying it as Turnera capensis. In 1883, I. Urban would reclassify A. capensis on the basis of its "leaf shape, hairiness," and locality.

Phylogenetic analysis of Turneroideae suggested A. capensis was closer related to other African members than to Turnera or Piriqueta.

Distribution

A. capensis is native to the tropical southern regions of Zimbabwe to KwaZulu-Natal.^[8]

Herbarium samples originate from Aapjes River.

Conservation status

As of 2015, A. capensis conservation status is "least concern" as it is considered widespread and a very common plant.

External links

Images of A. capensis are hosted on the Waterberg Bioquest website.^[9]

• Closeup of flower and full plant.
• Flower and leaves
• Photo of entire plant

Notes and References

1. Web site: Afroqueta Thulin & Razafim. Plants of the World Online Kew Science . Plants of the World Online . 17 March 2021 . en.
2. Web site: Threatened Species Programme SANBI Red List of South African Plants . 2023-08-06 . redlist.sanbi.org.
3. Book: Harvey, William H. . Flora capensis :being a systematic description of the plants of the Cape colony, Caffraria, & Port Natal (and neighbouring territories) . Harvey . William H. . Sonder . Otto Wilhelm . Thiselton-Dyer . William T. . 1859 . L. Reeve . Kent, etc . 10.5962/bhl.title.821.
4. Urban . Ign . 1883 . Monographie der Familie der Turneraceen . Jahrbuch des Königlichen Botanischen Gartens und des Botanischen Museums zu Berlin . 2 . 78 . BHL.
5. Snow . Neil . 2015-02-01 . The Flowering Plants Handbook, A Practical Guide to Families and Genera of the World. (eBook edition) . Systematic Botany . 40 . 1 . 366 . 10.1600/036364415x686648 . 0363-6445.
6. Thulin . Mats . Razafimandimbison . Sylvain G. . Chafe . Paul . Heidari . Nahid . Kool . Anneleen . Shore . Joel S. . 2012 . Phylogeny of the Turneraceae clade (Passifloraceae s.l.): Trans-Atlantic disjunctions and two new genera in Africa . Taxon . en . 61 . 2 . 308–323 . 10.1002/tax.612003.
7. Shore . Joel S. . Arbo . Maria M. . Fernández . Aveliano . 2006 . Breeding system variation, genetics and evolution in the Turneraceae . New Phytologist . en . 171 . 3 . 539–551 . 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2006.01807.x . 0028-646X. free . 16866957 . 11336/41821 . free .
8. Web site: Afroqueta capensis (Harv.) Thulin & Razafim. Plants of the World Online Kew Science . 2022-11-16 . Plants of the World Online . en.
9. Web site: Afroqueta capensis . 2023-08-06 . www.waterberg-bioquest.co.za.