Barleria matopensis S.Moore

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Darbyshire, I., Manzitto-Tripp, E.A. & Chase, F.M. A taxonomic revision of Acanthaceae tribe Barlerieae in Angola and Namibia. Part 2. Kew Bull 76, 127–190 (2021). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-021-09928-5

Type

Zimbabwe, Matopo Hills, fl. & fr. Feb. 1903, Eyles 1165 (holotype BM! [BM000931090]; isotype GRA* [GRA0002737-0]).

Morphology General Habit

Shrub or woody perennial herb, erect, decumbent or scrambling, 10 – 300 cm tall; stems with fine white antrorse-appressed or tomentellous hairs, often dense when young, sometimes also with numerous short patent glandular hairs, later glabrescent, mature stems first chestnut-brown then later with grey-brown bark

Morphology Leaves

Leaf buds densely cream- to silvery-hairy Leaves ovate, ovate-elliptic or lanceolate, 2 – 15 × 0.8 – 5.6 cm (l:w ratio (1.5 –) 2 – 4.5: 1), base attenuate often with a wing-like extension decurrent onto the petiole, apex acute to rounded, surfaces at first with numerous fine white antrorse or crisped hairs, later glabrescent except along margin and midrib and main veins beneath; lateral veins 4 – 6 pairs; petiole to 10 (– 26) mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 1 – 3-flowered cymes, axillary but sometimes crowded towards branch apices, sessile or peduncle to 2.5 (– 4.5) mm long; bracts foliaceous, reducing in size upwards; bracteoles oblanceolate, spathulate or obovate (-elliptic), 11 – 28 × 2 – 10 mm, indumentum as young leaves, often also with short glandular hairs along margin or more widespread and/or with long-pilose hairs along proximal margin; flowers sessile

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx somewhat accrescent; anterior lobe (oblong-) elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 6 – 13.5 × 2.5 – 9 mm, base acute or attenuate, apex with two acute lobes (1 –) 2 – 6 mm long, surface with fine white antrorse or tomentellous hairs throughout or restricted to margin and 2 principal veins, usually also with short glandular hairs at least along margin, venation palmate, prominent in fruit; posterior lobe oblong-elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, 8.5 – 18.5 × 3 – 12 mm, apex acute to rounded; lateral lobes lanceolate, 4 – 7.5 (– 9) mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 27 – 43 mm long, blue, mauve or purple with paler throat, or white throughout, pubescent especially on lateral lobes externally with mixed glandular and eglandular hairs; tube 9.5 – 17 mm long, cylindrical towards base, campanulate towards mouth; limb in “4+1” configuration; abaxial lobe offset by 3.5 – 8 (– 10.5) mm, obovate, 14 – 23 × 8 – 16 mm, apex emarginate; lateral lobes obovate or elliptic, 12.5 – 22 × 7 – 17 mm, apices emarginate; adaxial lobes as lateral lobes but 5.5 – 13 mm wide

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens inserted 2.5 – 6 mm from base of corolla; filaments 19 – 29 mm long; anthers 3.4 – 5.5 mm long; lateral staminodes 0.5 – 2 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glabrous or rarely shortly antrorse-pubescent towards apex; style glabrous; stigma 1.8 – 4 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 2-seeded, 14 – 17 mm long, glabrous or rarely shortly antrorse-pubescent on beak (see note); seeds 6 – 7.5 × 4.5 – 6.5 mm

Distribution

Namibia (Kavango East, Kavango West, Kunene, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa and Zambezi Regions); widespread in southern tropical Africa: Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and NE South Africa (Limpopo Prov.). Also likely to occur in SE Angola (Cuando Cubango Prov.) and N Botswana.

Ecology

Shrubland and woodland, usually on freely drained sandy soils, including on dune slopes and dune streets, often recorded from Terminalia-dominated woodland and thicket, occurring at c. 1150 – 1350 m elevation. Elsewhere within its range, Barleria matopensis is often associated with riparian habitats. In Namibia, it is found in the following vegetation types of Mendelsohn et al. (2002): the Western Highlands and Karstveld sub-divisions of the Acacia Tree-and-shrub Savanna, and the North-eastern Kalahari Woodland and Caprivi Floodplains sub-divisions of the Broadleaved Tree-and-shrub Savanna.

Conservation

Barleria matopensis is widespread in southern Africa, with an EOO in excess of 795,000 km2, and is locally common in parts of southern Zambia and northen Zimbabwe. It was assessed as of Least Concern — LC by Darbyshire (2015) and this assessment is upheld here. However, it appears to be rather scarce in the western part of its range and is often recorded as uncommon or rare on the Namibian specimens seen.