Pechuel-loeschea explained

Pechuel-loeschea, (common names; stinkbush,[1] sweatbush, or bitterbos,[1] [2]) is a monotypic genus of African plants in the elecampane tribe within the sunflower family, and named after the German plant collector and geographer Eduard Pechuël-Loesche (1840-1913).[3]

The only known species is Pechuel-loeschea leubnitziae,[4] [5] (or 'wild sage'[6]) which is native to Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the Cape Provinces and the Northern Provinces, (in South Africa).[7] The Latin specific epithet of leubnitziae refers to Leubnitzia, the maiden name of Pechuel-Loesche's wife.[8]

Description

Strongly aromatic shrubby perennial herb. It grows up to 1.3m (04.3feet) tall. Most parts are densely grey-velvety and with short glandular hairs. It has alternately arranged leaves, which are (sub)sessile (without a leaf stalk). They are narrowly obovate-elliptic in shape and about 4.5cm (01.8inches) long and 0.7 cm wide. They are velvety-grey on both leaf surfaces with a midrib prominent also on both surfaces. The margin is entire (smooth). It blooms between March and July. It has a capitula (a dense cluster of sessile or subsessile flowers) which are terminal (at the end) of 1-3 in the leaf axils. They more or less funnel-shaped and up to 1.3 cm long. The involucral scales (surround the flower head) are greyish glandular and hairy. The florets are purple with the central ray florets absent.[8]

Habitat

It is found growing in alkaline and sandy soils in dry wooded grassland or open woodland. It is often found in large amount growing along roadsides and disturbed areas.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Umberto Quattrocchi
  2. Patricia Craven and Christine Marais
  3. Book: Burkhardt, Lotte . Verzeichnis eponymischer Pflanzennamen – Erweiterte Edition . Index of Eponymic Plant Names – Extended Edition . Botanic Garden and Botanical Museum, Freie Universität Berlin . 2018 . 978-3-946292-26-5 . pdf . German . Berlin . 10.3372/epolist2018 . 1 January 2021.
  4. Web site: Pechuel-Loeschea Species Dictionary Southern Africa iSpot Nature. www.ispotnature.org. 2017-08-16.
  5. Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  6. Tedder . Michelle . Morris . Craig . Kirkman . Kevin P. . Trollope . Westleigh Matthew . Bonyongo . Mpaphi Casper . The influence of Pechuel-Loeschea leubnitziae (wild sage) on grass sward and soil seed bank composition . African Journal of Range and Forage Science . December 2012 . 29 . 3 . 101–107. 10.2989/10220119.2012.720280 . 2012AJRFS..29..101T .
  7. Web site: Pechuel-loeschea O.Hoffm. Plants of the World Online Kew Science . Plants of the World Online . 9 November 2021 . en.
  8. Web site: Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Pechuel-Loeschea leubnitziae . www.zimbabweflora.co.zw . 9 November 2021.