266-299 - SABONET

Diclis tenella 

Del. Christine Grey-Wilson 

Gerardiina angolensis 


266 Plants of the Nyika Plateau 

Limosella australis 


Digitalis purpurea 


Graderia scabra 

Del. Christine Grey-Wilson

Melasma calycinum 

Del. Christine 

Grey-Wilson 

Hedbergia abyssinica 


20 mm 

20 mm 

Lindernia nummulariifolia 

Del. Sandie Burrows 

Halleria lucida 


20 mm 

Cycnium adonense 


Plants of the Nyika Plateau 

267

SCROPHULARIACEAE 

Erect or scrambling perennial herb from a woody rootstock, with several 

much-branched hairy stems; leaves opposite, more or less sessile, thick, 

rigid, spreading, 3–12 x 1–2 mm, margins serrate to crenate; flowers single, 

alternate, axillary, white to pale pink or purplish, bell-shaped, equally 

5-lobed; in open grasslands or on forest margins; 2,150–2,440 m. Nyika 

Plateau northwards to Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Kenya. A monotypic 

genus confined to tropical Africa. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 8(2): 156 (1990). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, below Sangule Kopje, 7 km S.W. of Chelinda Camp, 

2,255 m, 1970, Brummitt 10759 (K, SRGH). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, near source of Chire River, 2,135 m, 1952, White 

2748 (K). 

No country given. 1955, Lees 72 (UZL). 

Limosella australis R.Br. 

Limosella subulata Ives 

Small creeping or submerged tufted amphibious herb; leaves cylindrical or 

subulate (awl-shaped), 15–80 x 0.3–15 mm; flowers white, blue beneath, 

on stalks 5–35 mm long; fruit a round capsule 2–2.5 mm diameter; in shallow 

lakes or on muddy lakesides; up to 2,340 m in the Flora zambesiaca 

area. Zimbabwe and Malawi; also in N. America, Europe, Australia. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Lake Kaulime, 2,150 m, 1958, Robson & Angus 

320 (K, LISC, SRGH). 

Lindernia nummulariifolia (D.Don) Wettst. 

Erect annual herb 30–140 mm tall, stems simple or basally branched; leaves 

subsessile, ovate, ovate to round, 9–15 x 5–13 mm, margins serrate to crenate, 

lower surface with a few hairs; flowers single in axils, stalks 3–14 mm 

long, corolla blue to violet, ca 6 mm long; fruit a round to cylindric, beaked 

capsule; on wet soils in marshes and riversides, in crevices on granite outcrops; 

up to 1,600 m. From Zimbabwe through much of tropical Africa; 

also through southern Asia to China. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality or collecting details (Mill 

1979); Dembo Bridge, 2000, Winter 4032 (MAL, PRE, UZL). 

Melasma calycinum (Hiern) Hemsl. 

Velvitsia calycina Hiern 

Erect perennial herb to 0.75 m tall, stems leafy, simple, rarely branched; 

leaves opposite, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 25–67 x 7–28 mm, margins crenate 

to toothed or lobed, hispid-scabrid on both surfaces; flowers alternate 

or clustered terminally, yellow to orange or white with reddish or purplish 

veining, 5-lobed; in swamps, marshes, and wet grassland along rivers; 1,200– 

2,250 m. Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, and Angola. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality or collecting details (Mill 1979). 

Rhamphicarpa fistulosa (Hochst.) Benth. 

Macrosiphon fistulosus Hochst. 

Erect, branched annual herb 50–500 mm tall; leaves pinnatisect, the segments 

filiform, less than 1 mm wide; flowers solitary, stalk 9–20 mm long, 

corolla white, cream, pale pink or pale blue, 5-lobed, with a tube 25–30 mm 

long; on peaty soils over sheetrock, on or between rocks in shallow, slowrunning 

rivers or streams, but more frequently near rivers and in grassy 

swamps; 600–1,750 m. Widespread from W. Africa, Chad, and Sudan, 

through Central and E. Africa S. to South Africa; also in Madagascar, New 

Guinea, and Australia. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, 1903, McClounie 96 (K). 

Sibthorpia europaea L. 

Sibthorpia prostrata Salisb.; Sibthorpia europaea var. africana Hook.; 

Sibthorpia australis Hutch. 

Prostrate, creeping herb, rooting at nodes, all parts hairy; leaves roundish, 

deeply cordate, 5–15 mm diameter, petioles 5–30 mm long; flowers single, 

small, in leaf axils, stalks 2–5 mm long, corolla to 2 mm long, yellow to 

purple; on streamsides, river-banks, and moist areas, usually in shade; up 

to 2,150 m. Zimbabwe and Zambia; also in Europe and the Azores, and 

268 Plants of the Nyika Plateau 

from Ethiopia to Tanzania. 


Zambia. Nyika Plateau, below Rest House on path to N. Rukuru (Chisanga) 

Waterfall, 2,150 m, 1958, Robson 402 (K). 

Sopubia eminii Engl. 

Sopubia trifida sensu Skan in F.T.A. 

Delicate erect, scabrid, annual herb, stems simple to much-branched basally, 

obscurely angled; upper leaves undivided with the lower leaves trifid 

or 5-fid; flowering stalks 5–9 mm long, flowers yellow or white with a 

purple centre, calyx lobe margins only slightly woolly; in woodland, grassy 

places, and hillsides; up to 2,300 m. Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, 

Kenya, and Uganda. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, S. of Chelinda above Mwenyenyesi Dam, 2,200– 

2,300 m, 1977, Grosvenor & Renz 1126 (K, SRGH). 

Sopubia karaguensis Oliv. var. karaguensis 

Sopubia welwitschii Engl. var. micrantha Engl.; Sopubia fastigiata Hiern 

Erect robust perennial herb to 1 m tall, stems pubescent to long-pilose or 

more or less hairless; leaves undivided or 3- to 5-fid, often with smaller 

leaves in axils, hairy and scabrid; flowering stalks 0–6.5 mm long, flowers 

pink, mauve or purple, outer calyx densely woolly, 6–11 mm long; in damp 

areas; up to 1,450 m. Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, 

Kenya, and Uganda. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, near base of Nganda mountain, 1977, 

Grosvenor & Renz 1155 (K, SRGH); Mbuzinandi, 2000, Salubeni & 

Mwanyambo 6813 (MAL); without locality or collecting details (Patel 1999). 

Sopubia mannii Skan var. mannii (Engl. & Gilg) Hepper 

Erect, rigid, scabrid branched herb 0.2–1.5 m tall, stems very leafy, arising 

from a woody rootstock; leaves linear to filiform, undivided, closely arranged 

on stem, midrib often obscure; flowering stalk 2–10 mm long, flowers 

pink to mauve to purple, calyx hairy; in grassland; 1,500–2,600 m. Zimbabwe, 

Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Tanzania, Ivory 

Coast, and Cameroon. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Nganda Peak, 2,600 m, 1969, Pawek 2074 (K). 

Sopubia mannii Skan var. tenuifolia (Engl. & Gilg) Hepper 

Sopubia dregeana var. tenuifolia Engl. & Gilg; Sopubia trifida forma 

humilis Engl. & Gilg 

As for var. mannii, but with the leaves undivided or 3- to 5-fid, more openly 

arranged, and the flowering stalks 12–18 mm long; in wet and dry grassland, 

bordering rivers, and among rocks; 1,000–2,500 m. Mozambique, 

Zimbabwe, and Botswana northwards to Angola, Zambia, Uganda, and 

Kenya; also in Sierra Leone. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, 25.6 km E. of Rest House, 2,438 m, 1957, Boughey 

1635 (K). 

Sopubia ramosa (Hochst.) Hochst. 

Sopubia similis Skan in F.T.A. 

Erect, scabrid, much-branched perennial shrublet, stems branching, densely 

hairy; leaves linear to lanceolate, undivided or trifid, scabrid, midrib prominent 

below; flowering stalks 1.5–4.5 mm long; flowers pink, lilac or lavender, 

calyx shortly scabrid-pubescent without; on forest margins, in open 

woodland or grassy hillsides and plains; from almost sea level in Mozambique 

to over 2,200 m. Zimbabwe and Mozambique, though Central and 

W. Africa, to Sudan and Ethiopia. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, Dembo Bridge, 2000, Thera 3002 (MAL); 

Chosi Viewpoint, 2000, Mwanyambo 482 (MAL). 

Zambia. Lundazi District, Nyika Plateau, Kangampande Mt. (Chowo area), 

2,130 m, 1952, White 2743 (BR, K). 

Sopubia simplex (Hochst.) Hochst. 

Sopubia dregeana Benth., nom. illeg.

20 mm 

Rhamphicarpa fistulosa 


Sopubia mannii var. mannii 


20 mm 

10 mm 

Striga asiatica 


20 mm 

7 mm 

Sibthorpia europaea 


Veronica abyssinica 



269

SELAGINACEAE 

Erect perennial herb to 450 mm tall, stems several, from a woody base, 

angled, many-ribbed; leaves few, narrowly linear, undivided, more or less 

appressed to the stem; flowers pink, pale mauve or lilac, flowering stalk 6– 

13 mm long, calyx verrucose to hispid, lobes woolly on margins only; mostly 

in burnt or moist grassland, river-banks, swamps or marshes; 600–2,280 m. 

From South Africa northwards throughout most of tropical Africa. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, 6 miles S.W. of Rest House, 2,150 m, 1958, 

Robson & Angus 362 (K); Domwe Viewpoint, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 

6796 (MAL); Juniper Forest area, 2,250 m, 1967, Richards 22657 (K). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, without locality, 2,100 m, 1955, Lees 103 (K). 

Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze 

Sparsely branched herb 150–200 mm tall, branching from above the middle, 

densely glandular-sticky; leaves ascending, 8–16 mm long,

Brucea antidysenterica 


Hebenstretia angolensis 


20 mm 

Selago thyrsoidea 

Del. Christine 

Grey-Wilson 

Physalis peruviana 


20 mm 


271

SIMAROUBACEAE 

Selago thyrsoidea Baker var. thyrsoidea 

Selago nyikensis Rolfe; Selago thyrsoidea Baker var. nyikensis (Rolfe) Brenan 

Suffrutex with several tufted stems 0.2–1 m tall, from a woody rootstock; 

leaves sharply ascending, more or less fascicled, linear to oblanceolate, apex 

acute, margin entire; flowers in few-flowered racemes, pale to deep violetblue, 

bracts oblong-lanceolate, hairy; in montane grassland, often among 

rocks; 2,100–2,450 m. A near-endemic, known only from the Nyika Pla- 

Brucea antidysenterica J.F.Mill 

Trichilia siderotricha Chiov. 

Small, sparsely-branched tree to 6 m tall, twigs with prominent leaf-scars 

and golden-brown hairs; leaves alternate, imparipinnate, with 3–5 pairs of 

leaflets, leaflets hairy above and below, margins wavy; flowers in small 

clusters widely spaced along an axillary spike; fruit in clusters, red; in 

*Physalis peruviana L. 

Cape gooseberry; Chichewa: ntongo, jamu 

Perennial herb or shrublet to 0.9 m; leaves more or less opposite, ovatetriangular, 

ca 100 x 60 mm, softly hairy, very shallowly toothed or lobed, 

petiole to 25 mm; flowers solitary, axillary, conical, mustard yellow; fruit a 

greenish to yellow berry completely enclosed by a papery calyx to 30 mm 

long; a weed of disturbed areas, roadsides, and fallow land, sometimes 

cultivated. A native of S. America, now widespread in much of Africa. The 

ripe fruit is edible, tasty, and often used to make jam or a stewed dessert. 

Source. Banda & Morris (1986: 57). 


1979). 

Solanum aculeatissimum Jacq. 

Shrub to ca 1.5 m tall, stems densely hairy and bearing many straight spines 

to 12 mm long; leaves ca 180 x 160 mm, deeply lobed, hairy and bearing 

slender spines to 15 mm long; flowers white, ca 16 x 30 mm, peduncle 

0.5 mm long, pedicels ca 11 mm long; fruit round, pale yellow or whitish, 

streaked green, ca 35 mm diameter; in forest clearings and disturbed areas, 

often associated with pine plantations. Widespread throughout Africa; also 

in Brazil. Thought possibly to have been introduced to Africa several hundred 

years ago. 

Source. Bukenya & Carasco (1995: 51). 


1979); road to Domwe Viewpoint, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 6794 

(MAL); road to Juniper Forest, 7,800’, 1975, Pawek 9949 (White et al. 2001: 

553). 

Zambia. Nyika National Park, Manyenjere, Kasoma, and Chowo Forests 

(Dowsett-Lemaire 1985: 323). 

Solanum anguivi Lam. 

Solanum indicum auctt., non L. 

Perennial shrub 2–5 m tall, stems with stellate hairs and some almost conical 

prickles; leaves elliptic-ovate, 100–200 x 50–100 mm, hairy, with or 

without a few prickles, sinuate to shallowly lobed, base truncate to cordate; 

flowers white, ca 10 x 10 mm; fruit small, round, in clusters, shiny, 

orange or red when ripe; in montane forest, secondary montane scrub, 

disturbed areas in shade. Widespread in Africa; also in Madagascar and 

India. Grown in tropical Africa for its fruit. Some authors have recognized 

a number of subspecies. 

Source. Brummitt (1973); Bukenya & Carasco (1995: 54). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, forest 4 km W. of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt 

& Synge 74 (K, MAL, SRGH, FHO, EA); road to Domwe, 2000, Winter 

4084 (MAL, PRE); Mpopoti Hill, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 6787 

(MAL). 

*Solanum mammosum L. 

Shrub to 1.5 m tall, stems densely hairy, with slightly recurved prickles 

5 mm long; leaves ca 110 x 90 mm, lobed to about half the width of the 


SIMAROUBACEAE 

SOLANACEAE 

teau and the Mafinga Hills. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 8(2): 171 (1990); Hilliard (1999: 222). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, 7,000’, 1896, Whyte 144 (K, holo.); road from 

Chelinda to Kasaramba, just past Chelinda Bridge turning, 2,410 m, 1970, 

Brummitt 10721 (K); Chelinda Falls, 1981, Salubeni 3061 (E, MO, SRGH); 

Chelinda Bridge, 2000, Mwanyambo 538 (MAL). 

Zambia. Nyika, without locality, 1966, Fanshawe 9735 (K, SRGH). 

understorey of montane rainforest; 1,400–2,200 m. Malawi and Zambia 

northwards to W. Africa and Ethiopia. Rare on Nyika. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(1): 212 (1960); Dowsett-Lemaire (1985: 390). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Kasyaula and Zovochipolo Forests (Dowsett-Lemaire 

1985). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Kasoma Forest (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985). 

leaf, hairy on both sides, with prickles on midrib and veins; flowers ca 

12 mm long, violet to blue; fruit to 50 mm wide, ?yellow, bearing a terminal 

‘nipple’; in disturbed habitats or cultivated. Native to the Caribbean 

region, cultivated as a medicine or as a cockroach poison. Poisonous if 

eaten. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality or collecting details (Patel 

1999). 

*Solanum nigrum L. 

Solanum guineense (L.) Lam.; Solanum suffruticosum Schousb. ex Willd. 

black nightshade; Chichewa: mnadzi; Yao: mnesi; Tumbuka: msaka, 

musaka 

Erect branched annual herb 0.6–1 m tall, completely without prickles; leaves 

alternate, ovate-elliptic, margin entire or lobed, glabrous; flowers stellate, 

8–18 mm diameter, white with yellow centre; fruit round, purplish to black 

when ripe, peduncles erect to spreading, pedicels much shorter than the 

peduncles, recurved; a weedy plant of disturbed areas. Regarded as indigenous 

to Eurasia, but possibly also natural in Africa. The leaves are cooked 

as ndiwo (a vegetable); the ripe berries are eaten, but the green berries are 

regarded as poisonous. 



1979); Chelinda Bridge, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 6773 (MAL). 

Solanum panduriforme E.Mey. 

apple of Sodom, bitter apple; Chichewa: nthula, mathika, ntunduwele; 

Yao: ntungwisa 

Spiny perennial shrubby herb to 1.2 m; leaves simple, alternate, to 125 x 

60 mm, oblong-lanceolate, sinuate, undersurface densely hairy, few spines 

along midrib below; flowers cup-shaped, lilac to purple; fruit a yellow or 

orange berry to 70 mm diameter, poisonous; a weed, often an indicator of 

overgrazing, in disturbed areas, roadsides. Eastern and Central Africa; also 

in Arabia and India. Roots used to treat boils; the fruit is also used medicinally, 

used to cure mange on dogs. 

Source. J. Williamson (1975: 216); Banda & Morris (1986: 142). 


1979). 

Solanum schumannianum Dammer 

Solanum ulugurense Dammer; Solanum subulatum C.H.Wright 

Shrub or small tree to 4 m tall, stems unarmed, but usually with bristly 

hairs; leaves to 140 x 50 mm, lanceolate-elliptic, acute to acuminate, entire, 

undersurface more or less hairless; flowers white, fruit ca 10 mm diameter; 

in light shade in forest or on forest margins. Malawi, Tanzania, 

and Kenya. 

Source. White et al. (2001: 554). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Zovochipolo, without collecting details (Dowsett- 

Lemaire 1985: 335).

Cola greenwayi var. greenwayi 


Dombeya burgessiae 


20 mm 

20 mm 

Solanum nigrum 


20 mm 

Hermannia tigreensis 


20 mm 


273

20 mm 

20 mm 

Ficalhoa laurifolia 



Melochia corchorifolia 


3 mm 

3,5 mm 

Strychnos lucens 


Ternstroemia polypetala 

Del. Mary Grierson 

20 mm

Cola greenwayi Brenan var. greenwayi 

Cola microcarpa Brenan 

Small understorey tree or canopy tree 25–30 m tall, bole shallowly fluted; 

young leaves red, petiole to 55 mm long with a swollen, bent pulvinus just 

below the lamina, set with brown hairs, leaves elliptic to oblanceolate, to 

150 x 70 mm, hairless; in evergreen forest; 1,500–2,200 m. South Africa 

through Zambia and Malawi to Kenya. 

Source. White et al. (2001). 


Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Chowo Forest, 1956, Chapman 294 (White et al. 

2001). 

Dombeya burgessiae Gerrard ex Harv. 

Dombeya nyasica Exell; Dombeya johnstonii Baker; Dombeya lasiostylis 

K.Schum. 

Tumbuka: mnangali 

Sparsely branched shrub 2–4 m tall, branchlets densely hairy; leaves 3-lobed 

(rarely 5-lobed), margin coarsely serrate, hairy on both sides; flowers in 

several-flowered umbels, pink (sometimes white); on margins of montane 

forest, in forest regrowth, and in riverine vegetation; 800–2,200 m. South 

Africa to Angola, D.R.C., and Kenya. The bark of young shoots is used to 

make string. 

Source. Brummitt (1973); Seyani (1991). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, E. foot of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt & Synge 

102 (K, MAL, SRGH, FHO). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, without precise locality, 1952, White 2568 (FHO). 

Dombeya kirkii Mast. 

Shrub to 2 m or a tree to 15 m tall; leaves unlobed to very shallowly 3lobed, 

35–180 x 20–130 mm, apex acuminate, margin variously toothed, 

sparsely hairy above, more densely below; flowers white, spreading widely 

at maturity; in low-altitude woodland, often along rivers. South Africa 

(Limpopo Province) to Ethiopia. In the Flora zambesiaca region this species 

is confined to hot, low-altitude bush, a vegetation type not associated 

with the Plateau. Seyani (1991) does not record D. kirkii from central or 

northern Malawi and this record should be regarded with some caution. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chisimuka, 2001, without collecting details 

(Patel & Overton 2002: 33). 

Dombeya rotundifolia (Hochst.) Planch. 

Chichewa: naduwa, nchiu, mchiu; Yao: chiwalika 

Hermannia glanduligera K.Schum. 

Perennial herb or shrublet to 1 m tall; flowers pink to red; river-banks and 

open woodland, in hot, drier parts of the region. Like many of McClounie’s 

collections, this would appear to be mislocated and was probably collected 

Strychnos lucens Baker 

Climbing shrub or liane 3–20 m high, branches with paired tendrils; leaves 

paired, narrowly ovate to elliptic, leathery, shining dark green, 3-veined 

from the base; flowers in axillary clusters; fruit hard, round, 15–70 mm 

diameter, yellow/orange when ripe; in riverine forest or on rocky hills in 

Ficalhoa laurifolia Hiern 

Chichewa: m’ndopi, ndopa; Tumbuka: mlunganya 

Large tree 6–45 m tall, bark reddish brown with deep longitudinal fissures; 

leaves alternate, lanceolate to ovate, margins finely serrated; flowers in 

loose clusters on twigs below the leaves; in evergreen rainforest, riverine 

forest, and streamsides; a dominant emergent in the eastern escarpment 

forests of Nyika; 1,350–1,800 m. Malawi, Zambia, and Angola to Uganda. 

STERCULIACEAE 

Excluded species 

STRYCHNACEAE 

THEACEAE 

Tree to 9 m tall, usually deciduous, branches hairless; leaves roundish to 

ovate, more or less unlobed, base cordate, apex round, margin irregularly 

toothed, upper surface scabrid (sandpapery), lower surface finely hairy; 

flowers white, aging to brown; in various types of woodland. Widespread 

in southern and eastern Africa, from South Africa to Ethiopia. Seyani (1991) 

does not record this species from northern Malawi and this record should 

perhaps be regarded with some suspicion. 


1979). 

Dombeya torrida (J.F.Gmel.) Bamps subsp. erythroleuca 

(K.Schum.) Seyani 

Tree 7–20 m; leaves ovate, not lobed, narrowing gradually to a short point, 

margin finely serrate, upper surface somewhat scabrid, lower surface sparsely 

hairy; flowers white or pink, red-veined; in gaps or on margins of evergreen 

forests; 1,850–2,450 m. Zambia (Nyika Plateau), Malawi, and Tanzania. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 1(2): 525 (1961); Brummitt (1972); Seyani (1991). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, without precise locality, 1953, Chapman 116 (BR, 

FHO, K); 3 km E. of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt & Synge 88 (K, MAL, SRGH). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, 3 km N. of Rest House, 1955, Lees 97 (K). 

Hermannia tigreensis Hochst. ex A.Rich. 

Branching annual herb to 300 mm tall, hairy throughout; leaves to 40 x 

15 mm, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, thinly hairy on both sides; flowers 

single in leaf axils, petals yellow, 3–5 mm long; capsule 3–4 mm long, ovoidtruncate; 

in soil pockets in rocky outcrops and in riverine fringes. Zimbabwe 

to W. Africa and Ethiopia. 



1999). 

Melochia corchorifolia L. 

Tonga: chibwathiko, chikondavu 

Erect annual herb to ca 2 m tall; leaves up to 70 x 45 mm, thinly hairy, at 

least on the veins below; flowers numerous, in dense terminal clusters, petals 

ca 8 mm long, white with yellow at the inner base; fruit a 5-valved 

capsule ca 5 mm diameter; usually a weed of cultivation. Circumtropical. 

Leaves eaten as a spinach and also used for smoking. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Mwenembwe, 1903, McClounie 135 (K). 

near Lake Malawi. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Mwenembwe, 1903, McClounie 73 (K). 

moist woodlands; 0–1,700 m. Zimbabwe to Angola, D.R.C., and E. Africa. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 7(1): 363 (1983); White et al. (2001: 343). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Chisanga Falls, 1959, Robinson 3094 (BR, K, M, 

PRE, SRGH). 

Source. White et al. (2001). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Chisanga Falls (White et al. 2001); eastern escarpment 

forests (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985). 

Ternstroemia polypetala Melchior 

Tree 8–12 m tall (in E. Africa) with a flattish crown; leaves borne in upright 

clusters; a canopy tree in mist forest and upland rainforest; in 


275 

STERCULIACEAE

THYMELAEACEAE 

Nyamkhowa Forest of Nyika it is a 30 m tall emergent; 1,800–2,300 m. 

Northern Malawi (Nyika and Viphya), southern Tanzania (Ulugurus), and 

Cameroon. 

Dais cotinifolia L. 

pompon tree 

Small to medium deciduous tree 3–10 m tall, bark grey, smoothish; leaves 

opposite, simple, elliptic, glabrous; flowers in terminal compact clusters, 

pink, showy; seeds developing in the bases of the old flowers; in or on 

margins of montane forest; 1,200–2,400 m. South Africa to Tanzania. A 

fine ornamental tree. 


1979); near Nganda, 2,400 m, Dowsett-Lemaire 308 (White et al. 2001: 

566). 

Gnidia chrysantha (Solms-Laub.) Gilg 

Gnidia flavus Rendle 

Shrubby suffrutex 200–750 mm tall, with numerous sparsely-branched 

stems, petiole 0.5–1 mm long; leaves alternate, linear to oblanceolate, midrib 

prominent below, hairless; flowers in a terminal head of 30–50 flowers, 

flowering parts in 4s, calyx lobes brilliant yellow to red, petals absent; in 

seasonally wet grassland, montane grassland or wooded grassland; 400– 

2,100 m. Zimbabwe and Mozambique to Guinea, Sudan, and Ethiopia. 

Source. Brummitt (1973); F.T.E.A. Thymelaeaceae: 26 (1978). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, half way from Nganda to Kawozya, 1972, 

Brummitt & Synge 167 (K). 

Gnidia fastigiata Rendle 

Shrublet to 400 mm tall; leaves alternate, sessile, linear-lanceolate, hairy; 

flowers 1–4 in leaf axils, pale blue, whitish or yellow, flowering parts in 4s, 

petals (6–)8, linear; in montane grassland on rocky hillsides, 1,000–3,000 m. 

Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, head of Mondwe Valley, 1972, Brummitt & 

Synge 247 (K). 

Gnidia glauca (Fresen.) Gilg 

Lasiosiphon glaucus Fresen. 

Large shrub or small tree to 15 m, with a spreading crown; leaves alternate 

or subopposite, lanceolate to oblanceolate, 30–60 x 6–20 mm, glaucousgreen, 

finely hairy near base, otherwise hairless; flowers in dense terminal 

heads, orange to golden yellow; frequent on margins of montane forest 

and in wooded montane grassland; 1,500–3,300 m. Malawi and Zambia 

northwards to Nigeria and Ethiopia. The largest member of the genus. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, N.W. foot of Nganda, 2,350 m, 1972, 

Brummitt & Synge 6 (K, MAL, FHO, BR, UPS, P); Juniper Forest, 1946, 

Brass 17181 (FHO); 1982, Chapman 6314 (FHO); without locality, 7,000’, 

1953, Chapman 118 (FHO). 

Gnidia goetzeana Gilg 

Erect shrublet to 1.5 m tall, normally single-stemmed from a taproot, 

branches with hairless red or brown bark; leaves subsessile, narrowly elliptic 

to oblanceolate-linear, glaucous-green, hairless; flowers in terminal or 

axillary heads of 30–80 flowers, whitish or yellow, flowering parts in 4s, 

petals filiform; in miombo woodland or wooded grassland; 800–1,800 m. 

Malawi, Zambia, D.R.C., Burundi, and Tanzania. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Thymelaeaceae: 23 (1978). 


Grewia mildbraedii Burret 

Grewia sp. of Chapman & White (1970) 

Tree to 20 m tall, buttressed low-down, bark reddish, vertically-fissured; 

leaves alternate, oblong-elliptic, weakly 3-veined from the base; inflorescence 

axillary, much-branched, flowers small, greenish; fruit simple, unlobed, 


THYMELAEACEAE 

Source. Dowsett-Lemaire & White (1990); White et al. (2001). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Nyamkhowa Forest, Dowsett-Lemaire 526 (FHO); 

Kasaramba, 1953, Chapman 125 (FHO). 

1999). 

TILIACEAE 

Gnidia involucrata Steud. ex A.Rich. 

Gnidia buchananii Gilg 

Shrublet to 1 m tall with numerous stems from a woody rootstock, stems 

glabrous, green to reddish, leaves subsessile, linear to elliptic, glaucous, 

sometimes reddish, hairless; flowers terminal or axillary, in heads of 15–25 

flowers, flowering parts in 4s, petals obovate or spathulate; pyrophyte in 

open or wooded grassland or woodland; 1,000–2,700 m. Zimbabwe to 

Angola, Nigeria, Sudan, and Ethiopia. 

Source. Brummitt (1973). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, plateau above upper Mondwe Valley, 1972, 

Synge 395 (K, MAL, SRGH, PRE). 

Gnidia kraussiana Meisn. 

Lasiosiphon kraussianus (Meisn.) Burtt Davy; Lasiosiphon kraussianus 

(Meisn.) Burtt Davy var. villosus Burtt Davy 

Perennial herbaceous suffrutex to 0.6 m tall, usually less, branches hairless 

or densely hairy; leaves petiolate (1–2 mm), narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate, 

glaucous-green, hairy or silky, more or less mucronate; flowers in dense 

capitate terminal heads of 18–50 flowers, orange to yellow, flowering parts 

mostly in 5s, petals oblong to ovate; a pyrophyte in montane grassland, or 

in Brachystegia or Uapaca woodland; 1,300–2,700 m. South Africa to 

Kenya, Sudan, Nigeria, and Guinea. 



Synge 393 (K, MAL, SRGH, UPS, BR). 

No country given. 1955, Lees 46 (UZL). 

Peddiea africana Harvey 

Peddiea fischeri Engl. 

Chichewa: mkakauku; Yao: nakasabola 

Small tree to 5 m tall; bark, when stripped, producing a strong ‘string’; 

leaves alternate, lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, hairless, upper surface glossy, 

margins entire, rather wavy, apex pointed; flowers in loose clusters ca 10 

flowers, on stalks 5–20 mm long, yellowish green, green or reddish, tubular; 

fruit a shiny blackish fleshy berry 6–10 mm long; in understorey of 

evergreen forest and riverine forest; 1,000–2,200 m. South Africa northwards 

to Ethiopia; also in the W. African highlands from Guinea to 

Cameroon. 



1979). 

Synaptolepis alternifolia Oliv. 

Chichewa: chiwombwi; Yao: luchimbili 

Shrub or woody climber to 10 m high, bark reddish brown, lenticellate; 

leaves opposite (sometimes alternate), simple, ovate to elliptic, 15–45 x 

10–25 mm, glabrous; flowers in few-flowered terminal groups, white, pale 

yellow or cream, tube 12–18 mm long; in riverine vegetation, miombo 

woodland, and wooded grassland; 50–1,100 m. Zimbabwe, Mozambique, 

Malawi, and Tanzania. 



1979). 

pear-shaped; in mid-altitude rainforest; 1,650–2,000 m. Malawi, Tanzania, 

Uganda, Rwanda, D.R.C. Known only from Nyika and Viphya in Malawi. 

Source. Dowsett-Lemaire (1985: 359); White et al. (2001: 570) 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, foot of Mwenembwe (Chapman & White 1970, 

Dowsett-Lemaire 1985).

Dais cotinifolia 


Grewia stolzii 


20 mm 

Synaptolepis alternifolia 

Del. Maureen Church 

20 mm 

20 mm 

300 mm 

20 mm 

Peddiea africana 


Gnidia kraussiana 


5 mm 


277

Celtis africana 



Sparrmannia ricinocarpa 


20 mm 

20 mm 

50 mm 

Triumfetta rhomboidea 

Del. Eleanor 

Catherine 

Boehmeria macrophylla 

Del. Victoria Friis

Grewia stolzii Ulbrich 

Liane or scrambling shrub with purplish arching branches; leaves elliptic to 

ovate-elliptic, markedly 3-veined from the base, hairless above, thinly hairy 

below; inflorescence leaf-opposed, sparsely branched or unbranched; flowers 

white; fruit round, 2- to 4-lobed; in montane forest or on rocky ground in 

miombo woodland; 800–1,600 m. Zimbabwe and Mozambique to E. 

D.R.C. and Kenya. 

Source. Dowsett-Lemaire (1985: 359); White et al. (2001: 570) 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Kasyaula forest, without collecting details (Dowsett- 

Lemaire 1985); 20 km from Thazima Gate, 2000, Burrows & Maroyi 6798 (PRE). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, near Chowo, Dowsett-Lemaire 248 (White et al. 

2001). 

Sparrmannia ricinocarpa (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Kuntze 

Slender shrub to 3 m tall; leaves 3- to 7-lobed, sparsely hairy; flowers in 

leaf-opposed umbels, white with clusters of yellow anthers; fruit a round 

capsule set with numerous stiff bristles; at high altitudes on forest margins, 

in montane scrub or along streams. South Africa northwards to Cameroon 

and Ethiopia. The stems yield a good fibre. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(1): 77 (1963); Brummitt (1973). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, 4 km W.N.W. of Muzengapakweru, 1972, 

Synge 304 (K, MAL); Domwe Peak, 2000, Kasakula 255 (LMA, MAL, SRGH); 

Mpopoti Hill, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 6785 (MAL). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, near source of Chire River, 1952, White 2562 (FHO). 

Triumfetta amuletum Sprague 

Chichewa: matitidza 

Prostrate perennial with hairy trailing stems to 1 m long, or ascending to 

1.2 m; leaves broadly ovate to circular, 70–100 mm long, base rounded or 

broadly tapering, 5-nerved from the base, hairy on both sides; flowers in 

axillary clusters, yellow; fruit ca 20 mm diameter, black, round, covered 

sharp bosses; in open grassland at margins of wetlands, or in open woodland 

on heavy soils, sometimes a weed. Apparently endemic to the Flora 

zambesiaca area. 



Triumfetta annua L. 

Chichewa: khatambuzi; Tumbuka: sungini 

Annual 100–600 mm tall; leaves 30–120 x 20–70 mm, ovate, narrower up 

the stem, base rounded, apex acute-acuminate, serrate, sparsely hairy on 

both sides; flowers in axillary clusters, petals yellow; fruit depressed-globose, 

hairy, hairs hooked; on forest margins, in shaded areas in bush, or a 

weed of cultivation. Widespread in tropical Africa, Madagascar, and Asia. 



1979). 

Triumfetta pentandra A.Rich. 

Very similar to Triumfetta rhomboidea, but much less hairy, and the fruit is 

Celtis africana Burm.f. 

white stinkwood; Sukwa: chingono 

Deciduous tree to 25 m tall, bark smoothish, mottled grey; leaves alternate, 

ovate, coarsely serrate in the upper two-thirds, sometimes slightly 

scabrid, but always with varying degrees of hairiness; fruit a small yellowish 

berry; in moist woodlands, termite mounds, riverine forest, rocky hills, 

Celtis gomphophylla Baker 

Celtis durandii Engl. 

This species record, which first appeared in Chapman & White (1970), is 

ULMACEAE 


ovoid; a weed or pioneer species in disturbed areas. Widespread in tropical 

Africa; also in India and Taiwan. 



1999); without locality, 1903, McClounie 161 (K). 

Triumfetta pilosa Roth var. glabrescens Sprague & Hutch. 

Small shrub to 1.3 m tall, stems square; leaves 80–140 x 15–35 mm, very 

sparsely hairy; flowers yellow; fruit hairy, but with hooks near the apex; 

probably on forest margins or in scrub. Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, 

Mozambique, and Tanzania. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, 1896, Whyte s.n. (K, syn.); Mbuzinandi, 2000, 

Salubeni & Mwanyambo 6824 (MAL). 

Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. 

Chichewa: mpala; Tumbuka: msonongwe 

Annual or perennial to 2 m tall; leaves 25–150 x 20–100 mm, ovate to 

ovate-lanceolate, sometimes 3-lobed, base truncate to cordate, 3- to 7-lobed 

from the base, hairy; flowers in leafy axillary clusters, petals yellow, ca 

4 mm long; fruit round, hairy, some hairs hooked; a weed of cultivation, 

found throughout the tropics. Possibly introduced to Africa, described from 

the West Indies. A very variable species. 



1999); without locality, 1903, McClounie 126 (K). 

Triumfetta tomentosa Bojer 

Chichewa: chikande 

Small shrub to 3 m, branches with brown woolly hairs; leaves 50–120 x 

25–70 mm, ovate to lanceolate, sometimes slightly 3-lobed, base cordate, 

brown-grey woolly on both surfaces; flowers in leafy axillary clusters, petals 

yellow, 4–7 mm long; fruit fluffy; often as a pioneer in cultivated or 

disturbed areas. Throughout tropical Africa; also in S. America. Very similar 

to T. pilosa. 



1979). 

Triumfetta welwitschii Mast. ?var. welwitschii 

Chichewa: nyame 

Perennial herb with annual shoots from a woody rootstock, flowers developing 

before the leaves; leaves linear-lanceolate to obovate-oblong, 30– 

110 x 4–20 mm, hairy or not; flowers in terminal clusters, petals yellow, 5– 

9.5 mm long; fruit round, densely hairy; common in miombo woodland 

and frequently-burnt grassland, flowering soon after fire. South Africa to 

Angola and Tanzania. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(1): 77 (1963); UZL. 


1979); road to Chelinda, 7,500’, 1967, Richards 22513 (UZL). 

and in drier types of montane forest; up to 2,000 m. Widespread in Africa 

from South Africa to Nigeria, Sudan, and the Arabian Peninsula. 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Kasyaula Forest, without collecting details (Dowsett- 

Lemaire 1985). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Manyenjere, Kasoma, and Chowo Forests, without 

collecting details (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985). 

an error (Dowsett-Lemaire (1985: 327)). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality of collecting details (Mill 

1979). 


279 

ULMACEAE

URTICACEAE 

Boehmeria macrophylla Hornem. 

Boehmeria platyphylla Hamilt. ex D.Don 

Soft perennial shrub to 3 m tall, without stinging hairs, stems and leaves 

more or less hairy; leaves opposite, 150–300 x 70–150 mm, base cordate 

to tapering, petiole 25–150 mm long; flowers in axillary clusters; in deep 

shade of montane forest, usually along streams; 300–2,000 m. Widespread 

in tropical Africa and throughout the Old World tropics. 

Source. Dowsett-Lemaire (1985: 316); White et al. (2001). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Chisanga Falls, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 6767 

(MAL, PRE, UZL). 

Elatostema monticola Hook.f. 

Elatostema orientale Engl. 

Annual or perennial herb with erect stems to 300 mm high, arising from 

creeping rhizomes, without stinging hairs, stems somewhat zigzagging; leaves 

alternate, confined to the upper part of the stem, asymmetric and slightly 

curving towards the tip of the stem, more or less hairless; flowers stalkless, 

axillary; in evergreen montane forest in moist shade of forest floor, sometimes 

in shade in moist rocky places; 1,200–2,200 m. Zimbabwe northwards 

through tropical Africa to Nigeria, Sudan, and Ethiopia. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Kasyaula and Zovochipolo Forests, without collecting 

details (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Chowo Forest, 2,000 m, 1991, Friis 6324 (C, K, MAL). 

Girardinia diversifolia (Link.) Friis 

Girardinia heterophylla Decne.; Girardinia condensata (Hochst. ex 

Steud.) Wedd. 

Large erect herb 1–3 m tall, completely covered in long stinging spines and 

hairs; leaves lobed, margins toothed, upper surface glabrous, with some 

stinging hairs, lower surface thinly hairy with stinging spines on the nerves; 

male flowers in a slender axillary spike, female flowers in a dense elongate 

cluster 100–150 mm long; in woodland or dry forest in rocky areas, or in 

riverine forest; 850–2,050 m. Sporadic, but widespread in Africa, also in 

Asia as far as China. 


1979); Nkhonjera Hill (White et al. 2001: 581). 

Laportea alatipes Hook.f. 

Fleurya alatipes (Hook.f.) N.E.Br. 

Annual or short-lived perennial herb or straggly shrub to 1.5 m high, set 

with stinging hairs; leaves alternate, triangular to rhomboid or ovate, leaves 

hairy or not; in understorey of montane forests and forests in ravines; 1,400– 

2,200 m. Widespread, in the mountains of Cameroon, E. D.R.C., Ethio- 

Valeriana capensis Thunb. 

Erect perennial unbranched herb to ca 1 m tall, with fleshy rhizome and 

fibrous roots; leaves mainly basal, but 3–5 reducing upwards, pinnate to 

pinnatifid, terminal leaflets to 130 mm long, larger than the lateral ones, 

shallowly dentate; flowers in terminal or axillary long-stalked clusters, white; 

in marshy areas and streamsides in montane grassland; 1,800–2,700 m. 

*Lantana trifolia L. 

Herbaceous shrub 0.9–3 m tall, often with purplish hairy stems; leaves aromatic, 

opposite or mostly in whorls of 3, ovate-lanceolate to oblong-elliptic, 

50–140 x 20–60 mm, apex acute, crenate-serrate, scabrid-hairy above, 

hairy below; flowers in hemispherical heads, pink or purple, sometimes 

white to pink; fruit a small, roundish drupe, 2.5–3.5 mm diameter, mauve 

to purple; in grassland, miombo woodland, bracken scrub, and on forest 

margins; 0–2,400 m. Widespread in Africa, but probably introduced from 

the Americas. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Verbenaceae: 46 (1992). 


URTICACEAE 

VALERIANACEAE 

VERBENACEAE 

pia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and S. to South Africa. A fiercely stinging 

plant. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, Kasyaula Forest, 1981, Salubeni & Tawakali 

3001 (SRGH). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Chowo Forest, 2,000 m, 1991, Friis 6322 (C, K, 

MAL); ibid. Pawek 11249 (White et al. 2001). 

Pilea rivularis Wedd. 

Pilea ceratomera Wedd. 

Perennial herb with creeping rhizome and erect, mostly unbranched stems 

to 1 m tall, without stinging hairs; leaves opposite, but leaf pairs often 

unequal in size; leaves glabrous; female flowers in tight clusters in leaf axils; 

in high-rainfall evergreen montane forests, often in moist rocky places, ravines, 

and along small streams; 1,800–2,100 m. Widely distributed in the 

moist uplands and mountains of tropical Africa. This is a very variable 

species, which has been subdivided by several authors. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, Zovochipolo Forest, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 

6898 (MAL, PRE, UZL). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Chowo Forest, 2,000 m, 1991, Friis 6323 (C, K, 

MAL). 

Pilea tetraphylla (Steud.) Blume 

Erect annual herb to 200 mm tall, without stinging hairs; leaves opposite, 

but apparently whorled at the stem apex, ovate, glabrous; female flowers 

restricted to the top of the plant; in humid places in montane forest or in 

moist sites among rocks; 1,650–2,800 m. Widespread in the mountain areas 

of tropical Africa. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, 2,300 m, 1973, Pawek 6640 (K, MO, SRGH). 

Urera hypselodendron (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Wedd. 

Robust climber to 30 m high, stems with copious adventitious roots, stinging 

hairs absent; leaves ovate, upper surface dark green, more or less hairless, 

lower surface paler, hairy or at least along the nerves; a common climber 

in upland and montane forest clearings, along forest edges, in riverine or 

moist ravine forest; 1,450–2,150 m. From Zimbabwe northwards through 

eastern Africa to Sudan and Ethiopia. 

Source. Dowsett-Lemaire (1985: 320); Flora zambesiaca 9(6): 82 (1991). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Kafwimba Forest, 1,800 m, 1975, Pawek 10263 

(K, MO, PRE, SRGH). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, without locality, 2,150 m, 1958, Robson 351 (K, 

SRGH); Chowo Forest, 6,100’, 1967, Richards 22697 (UZL). 

Along the eastern mountain chain from South Africa to Kenya. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, valley 2.5 miles S.W. of (Zambian) Rest House, 

1958, Robson 250 (BM, K, LISC, PRE, SRGH); without locality or collecting 

details (Mill 1979). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, without locality, 1962, Fanshawe 7291 (K). 


1979). 

Lippia baumii Gürke var. nyassensis R.Fern. 

Perennial many-stemmed herb to 650 mm or more, all parts with dense 

silvery white hairs; leaves opposite, broadly ovate to rounded, usually longer 

than the internodes; flowers in spike-like heads in upper axils, yellow, rarely 

white, 3.5–4.5 mm long; in montane grassland and miombo woodland on 

rocky hillsides; 1,800–2,100 m. Malawi and Tanzania. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Verbenaceae: 32 (1992).

3 mm 

Elatostema monticola 

Del. Victoria Friis 

3 mm 

Urera hypselodendron 


100 mm 

Girardinia diversifolia 


Laportea alatipes 


Pilea tetraphylla 


20 mm 

50 mm 


281

Lippia plicata 

Valeriana capensis 


Del. Maureen Church 


20 mm 

Rinorea convallarioides 


Lantana trifolia 


20 mm 

Viola abyssinica 

Del. Christine Grey-Wilson


1979); Mwanda Mt., 2000, Winter 4159 (MAL). 

Lippia javanica (Burm.f.) Spreng. 

Lippia whytei Mold. 

Chichewa: chanzi, vumba; Yao: chisunganjeu, mchenjema 

Shrub to 4 m tall, softly woody; leaves strongly aromatic and slightly unpleasant, 

opposite or in whorls of 3, 10–100 x 3–45 mm, scabrid and 

rugulose (rough) above, serrulate; flowers in a small compact spike, white 

to yellowish green; in woodland, scrubby grassland, rocky hillsides; 450– 

2,350 m. Widespread in Africa, from South Africa to Angola and Ethiopia. 

Not in Asia, despite the species name, which was applied erroneously. 



1979). 

Lippia plicata Baker 

Lippia strobiliformis Mold. 

Woody herb or shrub 0.6–3 m, stems square, brown to reddish purple; 

leaves aromatic (minty), opposite, rarely in threes, ovate to lanceolate, 15– 

100 x 7–55 mm, harshly scabrid above, margins crenate-serrate; flowers in 

Rinorea convallarioides (Baker f.) Eyles 

Understorey shrub or small tree 1.5–7 m tall; leaves simple, alternate, oblong-elliptic, 

40–70 x 15–40 mm, sharply serrate or subentire, hairless except 

on main veins, petiole 2–4 mm long, channelled above, stipules 3– 

4 mm long; flowers axillary; fruit a 3-sided capsule to 13 mm long; in evergreen 

forest; only in submontane forest (below 2,000 m) on the eastern 

escarpment, but not recorded by Dowsett-Lemaire (1985). Zimbabwe, 

Mozambique, and Malawi. 

Source. Chapman & White (1970: 126). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, “eastern escarpment Forests”, no specimen located. 

Viscum combreticola Engl. 

Relatively large dioecious leafless parasitic shrubs, more or less pendulous 

with age, yellowish green, stems flattened and strongly ribbed, but round 

with age; berries stalkless, more or less round, 6–7 mm long, warty when 

young, almost smooth at maturity, orange; a parasite of various hosts, 

but commonly on Combretum and various legumes, including 

Brachystegia. Widespread from D.R.C. and Kenya to Angola and South 

Africa. 

Source. Mill (1979); Polhill & Wiens (1998: 303). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chisanga Falls, 1,800 m, 1982, Dowsett- 

Lemaire 307 (K); Chisanga Falls, 1,800 m, 1986, R.M. Polhill & D. Polhill 

5254 (K, MAL). 

Viscum cylindricum Polhill & Wiens. 

Leafless, dioecious, parasitic shrub with pendulous branches up to 1–2 m 

long, distal branches flattened, 2–4 mm broad; flowers sessile, single, style 

indistinct, stigma on elevated mound above tepal scars, berries sessile, oblong, 

7–3.5 mm; in forest and high-rainfall Brachystegia woodland on various 

hosts. Only known from Malawi. 

Source. Polhill & Wiens (1998: 303); Polhill (2001: 593, fig. 211G). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, 7 km W. of Chelinda, 1972, Wiens 4614 (K, UT); 

Nyika National Park, 6.5 km W. of Livingstonia junction, Nya Mkowa, 

2,000 m, 1978, Pawek 13846 (BR, K, MAL, MO, WAG). 

Viscum goetzei Engl. 

Leafless dioecious parasite with flattened stems narrowing to the nodes; 

berries with a 1 mm long stalk, 3 mm long, smooth, orange; a parasite 

(epiparasite) of Loranthaceae, in evergreen forests to 2,350 m. Southern 

Highlands of Tanzania, Nyika Plateau, and Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. 

Source. Polhill & Wiens (1998: 302); Polhill (2001: 593, fig. 211J, K). 

VIOLACEAE 

VISCACEAE 

roundish terminal clusters, white/yellow to pink or lilac, scented; in grassland 

and various types of woodland, often in disturbed areas; 450–1,950 m. 

Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Angola, D.R.C., and Tanzania. 

Source. Brummitt (1973); F.T.E.A. Verbenaceae: 34 (1992). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, N.W. foot of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt & 

Synge 47 (K, MAL, SRGH, FHO, LISC); W. of Vitinthiza Hill, 2000, Salubeni 

& Mwanyambo 6763 & 6806 (MAL). 

Lippia woodii Mold. 

Lippia africana Mold. var. villosa Mold.; Lippia wilmsii Pearson var. 

villosa (Mold.) Mold. 

Herb or shrublet 150–600 mm tall, with several unbranched stems; leaves 

strongly aromatic, opposite, obovate-elliptic to rhomboid, 10–80 x 10– 

30 mm, shallowly crenulate, rugose/bullate, silvery hairy below, sparsely 

hairy above; flowers in axillary clusters, white, green or yellow, usually 

with an orange centre; in open woodland or grassland subjected to frequent 

burning; 1,110–2,280 m. Zimbabwe and Mozambique northwards 

to Uganda. 



1979). 

Viola abyssinica Steud. ex Oliv. 

Chichewa: katongolola 

Perennial herb, stems to 600 mm long, trailing or creeping, rooting at nodes, 

angular or winged; leaves broadly ovate to roundish, base cordate, margins 

crenate-dentate; flowers single, axillary, on pedicels 10–40 mm long, 

white to bluish or violet; in moist grassland, moist areas in forest or forest 

margins; 1,200–2,520 m. Widespread in the mountains of tropical Africa. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality, 1946, Brass 17323 (BM, K, 

PRE, SRGH); Mpopoti, 2000, Mwanyambo 542 (MAL). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, near Rest House, 1958, Robson 395 (BM, K, SRGH). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, vicinity of Juniper Forest, 2,190 m, 1972, 

Wiens 4612 (K, MO, P). 

Viscum loranthicola Polhill & Wiens 

Small, leafless, densely branched parasitic shrub, distal internodes rounded 

to slightly flattened; flowers sessile, male flowers with anthers fused together; 

berries orange, sessile, round, smooth, 3 mm diameter; epiparasite 

on several genera of Loranthaceae. Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and northern 

Malawi. 

Source. Polhill & Wiens (1998: 297); 

Malawi. Rumphi-Chisenga Road, half a km S. of Nyika Road junction, 

1,500 m, 1972, Wiens 4607 (K, MAL, MO, UT); 16 km E. of Barrier, 1,650 m, 

1976, Phillips 1338 (K, MO, SRGH, WAG). 

Viscum shirense Sprague 

Viscum junodii Engl., nom. nud. 

Leafless dioecious parasite, pendulous with age, stems flattened; berries 

with a stalk of 1–1.5 mm, round to ellipsoid, 3–5 mm long, smooth, orange; 

a parasite of various hosts, commonly on Bridelia, in high rainfall 

woodland, riverine forest, and on margins of montane forest; up to 1,700 m. 

D.R.C., Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The 

citations given below might be misidentifications for allied species, but V. 

shirense is certainly recorded from near Chisenga on the Chambo R. and 

around Wenya. Furthermore, the closely similar V. congdonii Polhill & 

Wiens, known from Jembya Forest Reserve, is likely to occur. Differences 

are given in the sources cited above. 

Source. Polhill & Wiens (1998: 306); Polhill (2001: 595). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Kasyaula & Zovochipolo Forests (Dowsett- 

Lemaire 1985). 

Zambia. Nyika National Park, Manyenjere, Kasoma & Chowo Forests 

(Dowsett-Lemaire 1985). 


283 

VISCACEAE

20 mm 

Cayratia gracilis 



Viscum combreticola 


20 mm 

20 mm 

Cissus rubiginosa 


Ampelocissus africana 


20 mm

Viscum tuberculatum A.Rich. 

Small, densely branched parasitic shrub; leaves obovate, leathery; flowers in 

sessile clusters, male and female on same plant; berries orange, sessile, ovoid, 5– 

6 mm long, densely tuberculate when young; in dry evergreen forest on many 

Ampelocissus africana (Lour.) Merr. 

Climber or liane with densely hairy branches when young, hairless with 

age, striate, with branched tendrils; leaves simple, ovate-cordate, entire, or 

deeply 3- to 5-lobed with toothed margins, hairy or not; flowers borne in 

dense clusters off the lower part of the tendrils; fruit roundish, ca 10 mm 

diameter; in woodland or forest margins. Zimbabwe northwards throughout 

tropical Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Kasewerera, 2001, without collecting details 

(Patel & Oveton 2002: 30). 

Cayratia gracilis (Guill. & Perr.) Suesseng. 

Cissus gracilis Guill. & Perr. 

Climbing or trailing herb 1–7 m long, all parts more or less hairless, tendrils 

present, leaf-opposed; leaves digitate with (3–)5(–9) leaflets, often 

pedate, leaflets narrowly ovate to ovate or elliptic, coarsely serrate, petiole 

40–60 mm long; inflorescence axillary, in tight clusters, peduncle 20–70 mm 

long, flowers whitish, yellow to pale green; fruit roundish, black, 6.5–10 mm 

diameter; in tall wooded grassland, forest margins, swampy areas, and riverine 

forest; 300–1,770 m. South Africa northwards to Senegal, Mali, and Ethiopia. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(2): 491 (1966); F.T.E.A. Vitaceae: 138 (1993). 


Cissus rubiginosa (Welw. ex Baker) Planch. 

Woody or herbaceous climber, sometimes shrubby, 0.5–1.8 m tall, from a 

thick woody rootstock, all parts set with thick reddish-brown hairs, tendrils 

to 300 mm long, bifid, hairy; leaves simple, round to broadly elliptic 

or ovate, base deeply cordate, apex acute to apiculate, margins dentate, 

hairy throughout, but less so above, petiole to 80 mm long; inflorescence 

leaf-opposed, peduncle 26–65 mm long, fruit glabrous; in rocky places in 

Brachystegia woodland and riverine forest; 450–1,200 m. N. Mozambique, 

Malawi, and Zambia northwards to Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Sudan, Uganda, 

and Tanzania. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(2): 455 (1966); F.T.E.A. Vitaceae: 26 (1993). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality or collecting details (Patel 1999). 

Cyphostemma princeae (Gilg & Brandt) Descoings ex Wild 

& R.B.Drumm. 

Cyphostemma kerkvoordei (Dewit) Descoings ex Wild & R.B.Drumm. 

Erect herb 0.8–1.2 m tall, arising from a woody rootstock, stems hairy 

with scattered short red or blackish gland-tipped hairs, tendrils absent; 

leaves digitate with 3–9 leaflets, petioles 0–70 mm long, leaflets sessile, 

linear-elliptic to obovate-oblanceolate, irregularly serrate, white-woolly 

below, sparsely hairy to hairless above; inflorescence terminal or axillary, 

flowers yellow to green, red-tipped; fruit red, turning black, 8–9 mm long, 

hairless; in Brachystegia woodland on rocky slopes; 1,500–2,250 m. Zimbabwe, 

Zambia, Malawi, D.R.C., and Tanzania. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(2): 471–472 (1966); F.T.E.A. Vitaceae: 79 (1993). 


Cyphostemma vandenbrandeanum (Dewit) Descoings 

Prostrate, but more usually a climbing vine, climbing to the forest canopy, 

stems hairy, bearing reddish tendrils; leaves 3- to 5-foliate, leaflets elliptic, 

Cissus grisea (Baker) Planch. 

C. grisea is a species of low altitudes (200–950 m) in riverine bush and 

rocky hills. Its maximum altitude is lower than the lowest point on Nyika 

and it is most likely that this record is a misidentification for the similar C. 

rubiginosa (see above). 


VITACEAE 


hosts, broadly along the Rift Valleys from Ethiopia to South Africa and Angola. 

Source. Wiens & Polhill (1998: 290); Polhill (2001: 595, fig. 211L, M). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, vicinity of Juniper Forest, 2,190 m, 1972, 

Wiens 4611 (K, UT). 

ovate or obovate, apex acute to rounded, more or less hairless above, whitish 

to reddish velvety below, margins crenate-dentate; inflorescence compact, 

much-branched, peduncle 20–125 mm long, flowers brown or yellow, 

red-tipped; fruit red, densely pubescent; in woodland, montane scrub, 

secondary or montane forest, and on rocky slopes; 1,750–2,450 m. Malawi, 

Zambia, D.R.C., and Tanzania. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(2): 484 (1966); F.T.E.A. Vitaceae: 102 (1993); 

White et al. (2001: 599). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chelinda Bridge, 2000, Salubeni & 

Mwanyambo 6769 (MAL); road from Zovochipolo to Chisanga Falls, 2000, 

Burrows & Burrows 6770 (PRE). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, without locality, 1959, Richards 10412 (K, SRGH); 

Manyenjere, Kasoma & Chowo Forests, without collecting details (Dowsett- 

Lemaire 1985: 320). 

Cyphostemma wittei (Staner) Wild & R.B.Drumm. 

Cyphostemma hermannioides Wild & R.B.Drumm. 

Prostrate or scrambling herb 1–2 m long from a thick taproot (red inside), 

stems hairy with gland-tipped bristles, tendrils absent; leaves simple to 3foliate, 

side leaflets much smaller than the terminal leaflet, leaflets oblong, 

ovate to oblong-elliptic, sometimes 3-lobed, base tapering to cordate, more 

or less hairless above, sparsely hairy below; inflorescence bright red, peduncle 

25–110 mm long, flowers yellow to crimson; fruit red, turning blackish, 

hairless; in miombo woodland or wooded grassland; 1,050–1,950 m. 

Malawi, Zambia, D.R.C., and Tanzania. 

Source. Flora zambesiaca 2(2): 464 (1966); F.T.E.A. Vitaceae: 61 (1993); 

Lebrun & Stork 3: 334 (1995). 


Rhoicissus tridentata (L. f.) Wild & R.B.Drumm. subsp. 

cuneifolia (Eckl. & Zeyh.) N.R.Urton 

Rhoicissus erythrodes (Fresen.) Planch. 

wild grape; Chichewa: mpeza; Yao: mpelesya; Tumbuka: mpesya 

Perennial shrub to 2 m or liane in forest, branchlets with reddish hairs, 

bearing simple tendrils; leaves 3-foliate, leaflets narrowly to broadly obovate, 

lateral leaflets often asymmetric, apex toothed, sometimes shallowly so, 

base tapering, more or less hairless above, densely velvety below; inflorescence 

leaf-opposed, compact, peduncle 2–30 mm long, flowers green, red 

to purplish; fruit roundish, black when ripe, 7–11 mm diameter, fleshy; in 

wooded grassland, on termite mounds, rocky hillsides in woodland, and in 

montane forest; 700–2,250 m. South Africa northwards to Nigeria, Ethiopia, 

and Saudi Arabia. A very variable species throughout its range, divided 

into two subspecies in South Africa and probably worthy of division 

into subspecific taxa within tropical Africa. The fruit is edible, juicy, but 

somewhat astringent. 

Source. Brummitt (1973); White et al. (2001: 601). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, W. foot of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt, Munthali 

& Synge 72 (K, MAL, SRGH); Domwe, 2000, Mwanyambo 566 (MAL); 

between Zambian Rest House and Thazima, 2000, Burrows & Maroyi 6834 

(MAL, PRE). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Manyenjere, Kasoma, and Chowo Forests, without 

collecting details (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985: 320). 

Cissus rupestris 

An unauthored name listed in Patel & Overton (2002). No such name is 

recorded in Flora zambesiaca (1966), F.T.E.A. (1993), or in Lebrun & Stork 

(1995). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chipome Valley, 2001, without collecting 

details (Patel & Overton 2002: 32). 


285 

VITACEAE

Cyphostemma 

vandenbrandeanum 


600 mm 


Boophane disticha 


20 mm 

20 mm 

Cyrtanthus breviflorus 


20 mm 

Rhoicissus tridentata 

subsp. cuneifolia 

Del. Sandie Burrows

Boophane disticha (L.f.) Herb. 

Bulbous herb, with a large bulb to 250 mm diameter; leaves deciduous, 

arranged in a distinctive fan, to 600 mm long, linear-oblong, often twisted, 

grey-green; flowers in a large round inflorescence of 50 or more flowers, 

each flowering on a long (30–100 mm) stalk, flowers pink to purplish; fruit 

a 3-lobed capsule; in grassland or open woodland on well-drained soils; 

200–2,500 m. South Africa to Angola, D.R.C., Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Amaryllidaceae: 21 (1982). 


1979). 

Cyrtanthus breviflorus Harv. 

Anoiganthus breviflorus (Harv.) Baker; Cyrtanthus luteus Baker 

Small bulbous plant; leaves appearing with or after the flowers, green to 

greyish, linear, to 380 mm long (usually less), 3–9 mm broad; inflorescence 

with 1–5 flowers, flowers bright yellow, tubular, often narrowing at the 

mouth; fruit a capsule; in moist montane grasslands, in upland bogs or 

Chlorophytum blepharophyllum Schweinf. ex Baker 

Plants single or clumped, 100–400 mm tall, rhizome small, roots spongy 

with tubers at tips; leaves rosulate, discolorous, lanceolate, 100–300 x 15– 

40(70) mm, channelled, glabrous, margins hyaline and ciliate; inflorescence 

usually unbranched, 80–150 mm long, flowers whitish tinged greenish cream 

to brownish, petals reflexed, 6–8 x 1.5–2.5 mm; in open miombo woodland 

and grassland, on rocky outcrops, often in light sandy and stony soils; 

50–2,450 m. Widespread in Africa, from Mozambique and Zimbabwe to 

Angola, Senegal, and Ethiopia. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Anthericaceae: 51 (1997). 


1979). 

Chlorophytum cameronii (Baker) Kativu var. pterocaulon 

(Baker) Nordal 

Anthericum pterocaulon Welw. ex Baker; Anthericum buchananii Baker; 

Chlorophytum pterocaulon (Welw. ex Baker) Kativu 

Plants tufted, 100 mm to 1 m tall, rhizome short, roots thin, wiry; leaves 

more or less distichous, broadly linear to lanceolate, 100–800 x 5–40 mm, 

glabrous, margins and midrib sometimes ciliate; inflorescence usually 

unbranched, to 250 mm long, rachis winged in lower part, peduncle hairless, 

flowers white to pinkish, aging to reddish, petals 10–15 x 4–7 mm; 

capsule obovoid, 6–8.5 mm long; in open woodland and grassland, in seasonally 

wet areas, and in swampy places; 0–3,300 m. Widespread in tropical 

Africa from Mozambique and Zimbabwe to Cameroon, Sudan, and 

Ethiopia. It is possible that more than one subspecies of C. cameronii occurs 

on Nyika. 

Source. Kativu (1994: 72); F.T.E.A. Anthericaceae: 32 (1997). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chelinda Bridge, 1975, Phillips 1061 (K, 

MO); without locality or collecting details, subspecies unknown (Mill 1979). 

Chlorophytum colubrinum (Welw. ex Baker) Engl. 

Anthericum colubrinum Welw. ex Baker; Chlorophytum campanulatum 

(Baker) Engl. 

Plants often in clumps, 0.2–1.5 m tall, rhizome thick, moniliform, roots 

spongy, without tubers; leaves more or less distichous, 120–750 x 5– 

25(40) mm, margins scabrid to shortly ciliate; inflorescence a narrowly 

spicate raceme, more or less unbranched, flowers white, petals 6–10 x 1.5– 

3 mm; capsule obovoid, 4–8 x 3.5–5 mm; in open woodland or wooded 

grassland, often on stony soils in rocky areas; 500–3,000 m. Mozambique 

and Zimbabwe to Angola, D.R.C., Rwanda, and Tanzania. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Anthericaceae: 19 (1997). 


MONOCOTYLEDONS 

AMARYLLIDACEAE 

ANTHERICACEAE 

dambos, and along streams; 1,650–2,500 m. South Africa to Angola, 

D.R.C., Kenya, and Tanzania. 

Source. Brummitt (1973); F.T.E.A. Amaryllidaceae: 26 (1982). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, between Nganda and Muzengapakweru, 

1972, Synge 360 (K). 

Scadoxus multiflorus (Martyn) Raf. subsp. multiflorus 

Haemanthus multiflorus Martyn 

Bulbous herb 150 mm to 1 m tall, petioles forming a false stem; leaves 

lanceolate to ovate, appearing after flowering; inflorescence large, roundish, 

100–200 mm diameter, composed of 10–200 scarlet flowers with spreading 

lobes, fading to pink with age; fruit a red or pink berry 5–10 mm diameter; 

in a wide variety of habitats, from woodland, riverine vegetation, 

montane forest or grassland; to 2,700 m. Throughout tropical Africa, from 

South Africa to Yemen. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Amaryllidaceae: 4 (1982). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, locally occasional (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985: 319). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, locally occasional (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985: 319). 

1999); Chisanga Falls, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 6789 (MAL, PRE). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Chowo Rocks, 1968, Simon, Williamson & Ball 

1665 (B, SRGH). 

Chlorophytum floribundum Baker 

Plants 160–550 mm tall, rhizome short, vertical, roots narrow, bearing round 

tubers; leaves 4–13, rosulate, lanceolate to elliptic, 100–400 x 10–50 mm, 

sharply pointed, hairless; inflorescence of branched racemes, flowers greenish 

to whitish with a green keel, petals 5–8 x 1–2 mm; in open miombo woodland, 

often on termite mounds; 800–2,150 m. Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, 

and Tanzania. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, 1.5 km N. of M1 road, 1978, Pawek 13707 (K, 

MA). 

Chlorophytum leptoneurum (C.H.Wright) Poelln. 

Plants small, 50–80(120) mm high, growing in clumps, rhizome horizontal, 

stoloniferous, roots reduced to elongate tubers; leaves rosulate, more 

or less prostrate, linear to oblanceolate, 30–100 x 5–20 mm, hairless above, 

hairy below, margins ciliate; inflorescence dense, unbranched, flowers white; 

capsule roundish, 2.5–3 mm diameter; in open miombo woodland and grassland, 

on bare patches, often on sandy soils; 800–2,600 m. Zimbabwe, 

Malawi, Zambia, Angola, D.R.C., and Tanzania. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Nacheri, 1903, McClounie 89 (K, holo.; B, iso.). 

Chlorophytum nyassae (Rendle) Kativu 

Chlorophytum glabriflorum C.H.Wright 

Plants 180 mm–1.4 m tall, rhizome vertical, without tubers; leaves linearlanceolate, 

clasping below, 90–700 x 4–20 mm, glabrous, midrib and veins 

prominent, margin flat; inflorescence a loose panicle, flowers white to yellowish, 

petals 7–11 mm long; capsule obovoid, ca 8 mm long; in montane 

grassland and scrubland, often in gullies and around water courses, on 

stony ground; 800–2,800 m. Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Dembo Bridge, 1976, Phillips 906 (MO, K). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, close to border with Malawi, 1961, Richards 14389 

(K). 

Chlorophytum sphacelatum (Baker) Kativu 

Anthericum sphacelatum Baker 

Plants 0.35–1.5 m tall, rhizome horizontal, roots many, thin, bearing tubers; 

leaves ca 8, distichous, lanceolate, 180 mm to 1 m x 5–40 mm, with 


287 

AMARYLLIDACEAE

Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. multiflorus 


10 mm 


Raphia farinifera 


20 mm 

70 mm 

Culcasia falcifolia 



Stylochiton cf. puberulus 

70 mm 

20 mm

numerous raised ribs and a narrow yellow scabrid or ciliate margin, ribs 

minutely hairy or not; inflorescence unbranched or with 2 small branches 

near the base, to 120 mm long, flowers white, petals 9–11 mm long; capsule 

6–8 x 5–6 mm; in open woodland and grassland. Centred on Zimbabwe, 

Zambia, Malawi, and Tanzania; three subspecies occur in Malawi, 

but the subspecies on Nyika is not recorded by Patel (1999). 



Chlorophytum stolzii (Krause) Kativu 

Plants large, 0.85–2.5 m tall, rhizome moniliform, roots with long tubers; 

leaves more or less distichous, sheathing basally, broadly linear, to 800 x 

20–35 mm, glabrous; inflorescence unbranched or almost so, to 700 mm 

long, flowers white with a green keel, petals 12–20 x 3–7 mm, pedicels 

articulated near middle; capsules obovoid, 10–12 mm; in open miombo 

woodland and tall grassland; often in wet places and along stream banks; 

800–2,000 m. Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, D.R.C., Burundi, and Tanzania. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, Mbuzinandi Road, 1977, Pawek 12930 (K, 

MAL, MO). 

Chlorophytum subpetiolatum (Baker) Kativu 

Anthericum subpetiolatum Baker; Anthericum dimorphum Poelln.; 

Anthericum stolzii Engl. & Krause 

Plants variable, clumped or single, 100–400 mm tall, rhizome erect or horizontal, 

moniliform, roots fusiform, peduncles papillate to hairy, flowers 

relatively large, star-shaped, white, sometimes tinged greenish, petals 8–15 

Culcasia falcifolia Engl. 

Culcasia scandens auctt., non P.Beauv. 

Ground-creeping or climbing vine adhering to tree trunks by means of adventitious 

roots; petiole 60–150 mm long, sheath more than half the petiole 

length, lamina asymmetrically elliptic to ovate, sometimes falcate, 82– 

260 x 35–105 mm; inflorescence 1–4 inserted at nodes, peduncle 45– 

140 mm long, spathe 25–50 mm long, greenish white to yellowish, partly 

enclosing the narrowly cylindric spadix; fruit a cluster of orange to dark 

red berries; in mid-altitude rainforest and swamp forest; 750–1,800 m in 

Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, through eastern Africa to Sudan 

and Ethiopia. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Araceae: 18 (1985); White et al. (2001: 93). 

Raphia farinifera (Gaertn.) Hylander 

Raphia vinifera sensu Mill (1979), non P.Beauv. 

Massive palm 15–25 m tall, often with a number of stems, stem to 0.6 m 

diameter: leaves large, to 20 m long, erect and somewhat arching, pinnate, 

the leaflets linear-elliptic, margins with a few sharp spines; inflorescence 

borne in the axils of the leaves, massive, to 3 m long, drooping, ultimately 

bearing numerous ‘hand grenade-like’ fruit with reddish brown plastic-like 

scales; in seepage zones in woodland, in riverine forests, and swamp forest; 

Borassus sp. 

The only species in Africa, Borassus aethiopum is a very distinctive and 

conspicuous palm of low-altitudes and it is highly unlikely that it would 

Asparagus angolensis Baker 

A much-branched more or less scandent shrub, branches hairy; leaves 

(cladodes) in dense clusters, subulate, 12–19 mm long; flowers many, in a 

fascicle, stalks ca 4.5 mm long, articulated near base; flowers ca 3mm 

long; habitat unknown. Described from Angola. This name is widely used 

in Malawi, but its application is uncertain. Since there has been no modern 

ARACEAE 

ARECACEAE 


ASPARAGACEAE 

x 2.5–4 mm; in open woodland, grasslands, shallow soils over sheetrock, 

and seasonally flooded areas; 50–2,450 m. Widespread in Africa, from 

Zimbabwe to Nigeria and Ethiopia. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Nganda Peak, 1974, Pawek 7927 (K, MAL, MO, 

SRGH, UC). 

Chlorophytum vestitum Baker 

Plants 300–700 mm tall, rhizome horizontal, narrow, roots fibrous, with 

few tubers; leaves more or less distichous, grass-like ciliate to hairy, 200– 

500 x 2–6 mm; inflorescence a lax panicle, flowers yellowish green, petals 

3–4 x 1 mm; capsule 3–4 x 4–5.5 mm; in open woodland and wooded 

grassland, often in shade; 950–1,600 m. Malawi, Zambia, D.R.C., and 

Tanzania. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, 1973, Phillips 838 (K). 

Chlorophytum zingiberastrum Nordal & A.D.Poulsen 

Chlorophytum orchidastrum sensu Kativu (1994), non Lindl. (1824) 

Plants 150–700 mm high with a short pseudostem, rhizome short, vertical, 

roots thin with elongate tubers; leaves lanceolate to oblanceolate, 100–400 

x 30–80 mm, glabrous, acute to attenuate; inflorescence a lax panicle 120– 

180 mm long, flowers greenish, petals 4–6 x 1–1.5 mm; in Brachystegia 

woodland, on sandy to gritty-clayey soils overlying rocks, and on termite 

mounds; 550–1,950 m. Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania. 



1999). 

Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Mwanembwe (Chapman & White 1970: 126). 

Stylochiton cf. puberulus N.E.Br. 

Seasonally dormant herb with distinctive, broadly triangular leaves with 

cordate-sagittate bases; in woodlands. The identity of this collection as S. 

puberulus is questionable; according to Mayo in F.T.E.A. Araceae (1985), 

this species does not occur above 500 m and it is therefore unlikely that it 

would be found on the Nyika. Although the genus undoubtedly occurs 

there, the species involved needs to be confirmed. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Araceae: 49 (1985). 


1999). 

up to 2,500 m in E. Africa, to ca 1,800 m on Nyika. From Zimbabwe 

northwards to Zambia, D.R.C., Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. Most easily 

seen in the Thazima Gate area. The woody midribs of the palm fronds 

are used for roof rafters and for furniture. The fruits are the staple diet of 

the Palm-nut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis) and the distribution of the 

two organisms is often closely inter-linked. 

Source. F.T.E.A. Palmae: 38 (1986). 


occur as a constituent of the plateau flora. If it did occur within the boundaries 

of the Park, other collectors certainly would have sighted it. 


revision of the tropical African Asparagus, this taxon is included here with 

some reservation. 

Source. F.T.A. 7: 432 (1898). 


1999); Chelinda Bridge, 2000, Thera 3033 (MAL). 


289 

ARACEAE

ASPHODELACEAE 

Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce 

Myrsiphyllum asparagoides (L.) Willd.; Asparagus medeoloides (Thunb.) 

Baker var. angustifolius (Mill.) Baker 

Slender twining herb or small perennial climber, sometimes deciduous, spineless; 

leaves (cladodes) ovate-acuminate, 25–40 x 8–20 mm, flattish, with 

3–several more or less parallel veins on each side of the midrib, hairless; 

flowers pendulous on slender stalks ca 10 mm long; fruit a round berry, 

10 mm diameter; in montane forest or scrub, forest margins, and along 

stream banks. Widespread in South Africa, northwards to Tanzania; an 

invader plant in Australia. 

Source. Obermeyer & Immelman (1992: 73). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Lake Kaulime, 2000, Phiri 3722 (UZL); ibid., 

2000, Burrows & Burrows 6870 (PRE); without locality or collecting details 

(Mill 1979). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Chowo Forest, White 2781 (White et al. 2001: 93). 

Asparagus laricinus Burch. 

Erect densely-branched shrub 1–2 m tall, stems and branches pale whitish 

green, usually finely ribbed, spines short, hard, on stems and branches; 

leaves (cladodes) up to 60 in a cluster, stiff, filiform, up to 35 mm long; 

flowers 1–8 on outside of leaf clusters, white; fruit a red berry, 5 mm diameter; 

in grassland, open woodland, and scrub. South Africa to tropical Africa. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, 8 km E. of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt & Synge 

34 (K); Lake Kaulime, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 6869 (PRE). 

No country given. 1967, Richards 22640 (UZL). 

Asparagus plumosus Baker 

Protasparagus plumosus (Baker) Oberm. 

Scandent stoloniferous evergreen perennial with branches, branchlets and 

cladodes (leaves); leaves ca 12 in compressed clusters, terete, glabrous, glossy 

dark green, very fine; flowers apical, white, stalks 2–3 mm long, articulated 

near base; fruit a red berry, 4 mm diameter; in understorey of forests. 

From South Africa (Eastern Cape) northwards to E. Africa. Often cultivated 

for its delicate foliage. See also notes under A. setaceus. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, occasional in all forests (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985: 

320); without locality, 1896, Whyte s.n. (K). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, occasional in all forests (Dowsett-Lemaire 1985: 320). 

Asparagus racemosus Willd. 

Protasparagus racemosus (Willd.) Oberm. 

Asparagus africanus Lam. 

This species is not recorded from tropical Africa (Obermeyer & Immelman 



ASPHODELACEAE 

The genus Aloe is sometimes treated within a separate family, the Aloaceae (Carter 2001). 

Aloe christianii Reynolds 

Succulent, usually solitary, rarely suckering, stemless or with a stem to 1 m 

tall; leaves erect-spreading, to 0.6 m long, basal width ca 120 mm, light 

bluish green, tinged pinkish in drought, unspotted, faintly lined, margins 

with strong brown-tipped teeth; inflorescence erect, 1–2 m tall, with 6–10 

erect branches, flowers coral-pink, stamens exserted ca 4 mm; in partial 

shade in Brachystegia–Isoberlinia woodland, or sometimes in medium to 

tall grasslands, never on rocks; 300–1,675 m. Zimbabwe, Mozambique, 

Malawi, Zambia, D.R.C., and Tanzania. 

Source. Reynolds (1966); Carter (2001). 

Malawi. ?Nyika, 62 miles (99 km) N. of Rumphi, 1960, Leach & Brunton 

10354 (K, LISC, PRE, SRGH). 

Aloe duckeri Christian 

Solitary succulent or suckering to form small clusters of plants, stemless or 

with a short stem; leaves spreading, in a dense rosette, 0.5–0.8 m long, 80– 

Tall climber or a tangled shrub with shiny yellowish stems and soft feathery 

branches, usually leafless when in flower; leaves (cladodes) 4–8 per 

cluster, unequally long, filiform, 10–16 mm long; flowers in simple racemes 

20–30 mm long, white with a reddish streak; fruit a red berry, 7 mm diameter; 

in thickets or scrub in frost-free, high-rainfall savannas. Eastern Cape 

to Botswana, Namibia, and widespread in tropical Africa and eastwards to 

India. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, S. slopes of Kawozya, 1972, Brummitt & 

Synge 185 (K, MAL, SRGH). 

Asparagus setaceus (Kunth) Jessop 

Protasparagus setaceus (Kunth) Oberm.; Asparagus plumosus auctt. non 

Baker 

Evergreen perennial, erect or often scandent, to 2 m tall, hairless throughout, 

stems with a few short spines below, spineless above, branches more 

or less twining; leaves (cladodes) numerous, spreading, filiform, to 15 mm 

long, soft, shiny; flowers solitary, white; fruit a black berry, 5 mm diameter; 

in undergrowth of scrub or forest, less common than A. plumosus. 

South Africa to tropical Africa. This species is often quoted from Malawi, 

but its species concept is frequently confused. White et al. (2001) states 

that ‘A. setaceus’ is ‘very widespread’ in Malawi and draws attention to its 

fine cladodes ‘all in the same plane’, which is a defining characteristic of 

true A. plumosus (Obermeyer & Immelman 1992: 59). Therefore it seems 

possible that only A. plumosus occurs on the Nyika Plateau. 

Source. Obermeyer & Immelman (1992: 58); White et al. (2001: 95). 



1979); Chosi Viewpoint, 2000, Chapama 149 (MAL). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, Manyenjere Forest, 2000, Phiri 4033 (UZL); Chowo 

Forest, 2000, Phiri 4013 (UZL). 

Asparagus virgatus Baker 

Protasparagus virgatus (Baker) Oberm. 

Erect stiff shrubs 0.75–1 m tall, with one to a few, green, angled stems and 

thin, stiff branches; leaves (cladodes) 1–7, filiform, 4–20 mm long, unequal; 

flowers solitary, pendulous along the branches, stalks ca 7 mm long, articulated 

in lower half; fruit a red berry, 5 mm diameter; in dry forest, 

riverine forest, scrub or woodland. Eastern Cape to Namibia, Angola, Zimbabwe, 

Malawi, and E. Africa. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, 8 km E. of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt, Munthali 

& Synge 129 (K, MAL). 

1992) and it would appear that this is a misidentification. 


120 mm at the base, dull green, sparsely spotted or without spots, often 

faintly streaked on both surfaces, margins with strong red-brown teeth; 

inflorescence erect, 1–2 m tall, 3- to 9-branched, branches curving upwards, 

flowers orange-red to coral-pink, stamens slightly exserted; in montane 

grassland and high-rainfall miombo; 1,000–2,350 m. Malawi, Zambia, and 

S.W. Tanzania. Locally abundant on the Nyika. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, near Chelinda Rest House, 1958, Reynolds 8642 

(K, PRE, SRGH); western foot of Nganda, 1972, Brummitt & Synge WC3 

(EA, K, MAL, PRE, SRGH). 

Aloe mzimbana I.Verd. & Christian 

Stemless succulent, suckering to form dense groups of plants; leaves in a 

dense rosette, spreading-erect, 200–350 mm long, 70–80 mm wide at the 

base, greyish green, with few to many large, elongated white spots on both 

surfaces, margins with large sharp brown-tipped teeth; inflorescence erect

20 mm 

Asparagus asparagoides 

Asparagus laricinus 


Bulbine abyssinica 


20 mm 

20 mm 

Kniphofia grantii 


Aloe mzimbana 

Del. Pat Halliday 

800 mm 

20 mm 


291

ASPHODELACEAE 

to 600 mm tall, with 1–6 spreading branches; flowers bright coral-red, stamens 

slightly exserted; in montane grassland and rocky outcrops; 1,280– 

2,300 m. Malawi, Zambia, D.R.C., and Tanzania. An exceedingly variable 

species. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, large numbers on rocks 3 km S.W. of Chelinda Rest 

House, 1958, Reynolds 8643 (K, PRE, SRGH). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, 1968, Williamson 966 (SRGH). 

Aloe nuttii Baker 

Aloe mketiensis Christian 

Erect succulent herb, suckering to produce 2–12 stems; leaves erect, grasslike, 

400–500 mm long, linear, tapering to the apex, channelled towards 

the apex, white-spotted near the base, margin with minute white teeth in 

lower half; flowers in an erect inflorescence 0.6–0.8 m long, coral-pink to 

orange-red, green-tipped, stamens scarcely exserted; in montane grassland 

and high-rainfall miombo woodland; 1,450–2,400 m. Malawi, Zambia, 

Angola, D.R.C., and Tanzania. Nearest allied to the Malawian species A. 

buchananii Baker. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Nchena-Chena Spur, 1946, Brass 17147 (K); above 

Nchena-Chena, 1956, Reynolds 8187 (K, PRE); Domwe Viewpoint, 2000, 

Thera 3064 (MAL). 

Bulbine abyssinica Hochst. ex A.Rich. 

Bulbine asphodeloides auctt., non (L.) Willd. 

Tufted, hairless perennial herb 100–660 mm tall; leaves 5–many, erect to 

arching, fleshy, grass-like, round to very narrowly linear, 2–6 mm wide; 

inflorescence 100–500 mm tall, with numerous yellow flowers clustered 

towards the top; in montane grassland, near dambos, in miombo woodland, 

in seepage areas, and on shallow soils over sheetrock; 750–2,400 m. 

Eastern Africa, from South Africa to Ethiopia. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, 25 km S.E. of Chelinda Camp on Kasaramba 

Road, 1977, Grosvenor & Renz 1190 (K, SRGH); Mwanda Ridge, 2000, 

Winter 4183 (MAL). 

?Zambia. Nyika Plateau, 1955, Lees 64 (UZL). 

Kniphofia grantii Baker 

Kniphofia zombensis Baker 

Chichewa: kaluatete 

Plants not clump-forming, with 1–3 shoots; leaves variable, linear to lanceolate, 

60–750 x 20–38 mm, margins and keel smooth to minutely serrate; 

inflorescence stalks 0.3–1.2 m long, head a dense ovoid raceme 50– 

150 mm long, flowers yellow to yellowish green, 15–39 mm long, stamens 

shortly exserted; in montane grassland, also in seasonally flooded areas, 

flowering September–May with a peak in October–January; 780–2,700 m. 

Zambia, Malawi, D.R.C., Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, and Tanzania. 

Source. Marais (1973: 476); Flora zambesiaca 12(3): 29 (2001). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, toward Chelinda Bridge, 1969, Pawek 3268 

(K); edge of Dam #2, 1975, Phillips 1269 (K, MO). 

Zambia. Nyika Plateau, without locality, 1955, Lees 123 (herbarium unknown). 

Kniphofia linearifolia Baker 

Kniphofia longistyla Baker; Kniphofia rhodesiana Rendle 


Robust, clump-forming plants; leaves 0.5–1.6 m x 8–20 mm, very strongly 

keeled, margins smooth or minutely serrulate; inflorescence with a peduncle 

to 1.5 m long, head a slender raceme 50–120 mm long, ovoid to lanceo- 

Aloe swynnertonii Rendle 

Neither this species nor any of the closely allied taxa are recorded from the 

northern half of Malawi or Tanzania (Carter 2001) and, since we have no 

confirmation of the identity of this record, it is excluded. 


1999). 



late, the apex often tapering narrowly, flowers 25–40 mm long, yelloworange 

to red; in montane grassland or swampy areas; 1,550–2,700 m. 

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi, reaching its northern 

limit on the Nyika. It is doubtful if the Nyika material is the same as the 

South Africa species. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Game Park, Mapopo area, Richards 22615 (herbarium 

not recorded); Chelinda Stream at Chelinda Camp, 1958, Robson 

& Angus 382 (K, LISC, PRE); without locality, 2000, Willis 35 (PRE); near 

Chelinda Camp, 2000, Kasakula 237 (MAL). 

No country given. 1958, Robson 427 (UZL). 

Kniphofia princeae (Berger) Marais 


Plants solitary, 1.3–3 m tall; leaves 1.8–2 m x 23–37 mm, strongly keeled, 

margins serrulate; inflorescence with a peduncle to 2.5 m long, heads in 

dense or lax racemes 350–600 mm long, flowers 25–38 mm long, orangered, 

vermilion or orange with yellow tips, anthers mostly included; in grassland 

or montane scrub along streams and on forest margins; 1,830–2,286 m. 

E. D.R.C., S. Tanzania, and N. Malawi. 


Malawi. Nyika Plateau, Sangule Kopje, Brummitt 10749 (K); Businande 

Road, 1976, Phillips 1626 (M, SRGH). 

Kniphofia reynoldsii Codd 

Robust perennial with inflorescences 1–2.5 m tall; leaves 0.8–2 m long, 

40–50 mm wide at base, linear, keeled, margins entire or minutely serrate; 

flowers in a slender raceme 0.5–0.7 m long, spiciform, white, cream, greenish, 

tipped with brown, 7.5–11 mm long; in rank grassland or scrub in 

montane grassland or miombo woodland; 1,250–2,000 m. Zambia, Malawi, 

and Tanzania. The very tall, slender inflorescences of this species are 

unmistakable. 


Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chisanga Falls slope, 2000, Mwanyambo 

494 (MAL); edge of Kafwimba Forest, 1973, Pawek 6579 (K, MO, UC). 

Trachyandra malosana (Baker) Oberm. 

Tufted grass-like herb to 450 mm tall; leaves many, to 300 x 3 mm, linear, 

triangular in section, with scattered bristles, and glands arranged in 2–4 

rows along the margins and midrib; inflorescences 1–5, branched, appearing 

before the leaves, peduncle and branches pubescent-glandular, flowers 

with spreading lobes, white or cream with a reddish keel; capsule 2.5– 

4 mm long, 3-lobed, densely tuberculate; a pyrophyte in montane grassland; 

1,900–2,500 m. Known only from Malawi and E. Zimbabwe. 

Source. Brummitt (1973: 67); Flora zambesiaca 12(3): 38 (2001). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chelinda Camp near Chelinda Stream, 1958, 

Robson & Angus 391 (K); Kasaramba View Road, 1969, Pawek 3312 (K); S. 

slopes of Nganda, 1972, Synge 464 (K, MAL, SRGH, PRE). 

Trachyandra saltii (Baker) Oberm. 

Anthericum saltii Baker 

Perennial grass-like herb 150–750 mm tall; leaves to 600 mm long, 1.5– 

6 mm wide, flat or 3-angular in section, hairless or with long straight hairs; 

inflorescences 1–6, unbranched, peduncle hairless or not, flowers white; 

capsules 2–5 mm long, roundish to 3-lobed, not tuberculate; in rocky 

montane grassland, forest margins, in open miombo woodland, and on 

rocky outcrops; 5–2,350 m. South Africa through eastern Africa to Ethiopia. 



1979). 

Kniphofia splendida E.A.Bruce 

This species is recorded only from the S. of Malawi (Mt. Mulanje) and 

southwards to South Africa and, since we have no confirmation of the 

identity of this record, it is excluded. 


1999).

20 mm 

Gloriosa superba 


Trachyandra saltii 


20 mm 

5 mm 

10 mm 

20 mm 

Littonia lindeni 


20 mm 

Chlorophytum colubrinum 


Wurmbea tenuis 

subsp. goetzei 


5 mm 


20 mm 

293

COLCHICACEAE 

Gloriosa superba L. 

Gloriosa simplex L. 

flame lily 

Scrambling herb to 1.5 m, sometimes self-supporting, arising from a fleshy 

whitish tuber; leaves ovate to lanceolate, base clasping the stem, apex often 

elongating into a tendril; flowers unmistakable, the six petals recurved backwards 

to form a goblet shape, deep red and yellow, sometimes orange or 

yellow; fruit a fleshy capsule splitting to reveal red seeds; in miombo woodland, 

riverine forest or in high-rainfall scrub or forest margins; flowering 

mid-summer. Widespread in southern and eastern Africa. 


1979). 

Littonia lindeni Baker 

Erect herb or scrambling, arising from a tuber; leaves lanceolate, hairless; 

flowers pendulous on rather long stalks, bell-shaped with 6 pointed lobes, 

Aneilema hirtum A.Rich. 

Aneilema ringoeti De Wild.; Aneilema whytei C.B.Clarke 

Annual; leaf-blade sessile; inflorescence dense; flowers 8–10 mm wide, stamen 

filaments beaded with maroon hairs. Malawi and Zambia to Tanzania, 

Ethiopia, and D.R.C. 


1979). 

Aneilema welwitschii C.B.Clarke 

Aneilema densum Th.Fr.; Aneilema erectum De Wild.; Aneilema florentii 

De Wild. 

Roots tuberous; inflorescence dense; flowers yellow to orange, 9–14 mm 

wide; in savanna. Angola to Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique. 


1979). 

Commelina africana L. var. africana 

Perennial herb, spreading, rooting at nodes; leaves flat, glabrous; spathes 

solitary; spathe margins free; flower yellow, opens only in mornings. Widespread 

in Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chosi Viewpoint, 2000, Smook 10735 (PRE, 

MAL). 

Commelina africana L. var. lancispatha C.B.Clarke 

Perennial herb, spreading, rooting at nodes; leaves folded, glabrous; spathes 

solitary; spathe margins free, apex tapered; flowers yellow, opens only in 

mornings. South Africa to Central Africa, uncommon in W. Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, footpath to Chisanga Falls, 2000, Smook 

10766 (PRE). 

Commelina africana L. var. krebsiana (Kunth) C.B.Clarke 

Perennial herb, spreading, rooting at nodes; leaves folded, hairy; spathes 

solitary; spathe margins free, apex tapered; flowers yellow, opening only in 

mornings. South Africa to Central Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Fingira Rock, 2000, Willis 225 (PRE). 

Commelina aspera Benth. 

Annual herb, erect; leaves narrow; spathes in clusters; spathe small, sharply 

pointed, reflexed, margins fused; flower yellow to white, open morning 

only; grassland and savanna, sometimes in disturbed areas. Angola, Namibia, 

Zambia, and Zimbabwe; E. Africa to Cameroon. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, footpath to Chisanga Falls, 2000, Smook 

10767 (PRE). 

Commelina benghalensis L. 

Annual, spreading herb; leaves flat; leaf-sheath with long red or rarely colourless 

setae at mouth; spathes clustered, spathe margins fused; flower small, 


COLCHICACEAE 

COMMELINACEAE 

deep orange; fruit a fleshy capsule; in miombo woodland. Zambia, Malawi, 

D.R.C., and Tanzania. 

Source. Bolnick (1995: 63). 


1979). 

Wurmbea tenuis (Hook.f.) Baker subsp. goetzei (Engl.) 

B.Nord. 

Small erect plant 30–200 mm tall; basal leaf erect, narrowly linear-filiform, 

30–200 mm long, cauline leaves not extending beyond the flowers; flowers 

(perianth) 7–10 mm long, with spreading, star-like segments (petals), white 

to greenish or cream, tube 0.5–1.5 mm long; in wet short montane grassland 

on peaty or sandy soils; 1,200–2,300 m. Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, 

and D.R.C. 

Source. Nordenstam (1978: 225). 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Lake Kaulime, 1959, Robinson 3043 (K, M, PRE). 

blue, rarely white; disturbed areas. Widespread and troublesome weed; 

southern Africa, tropical Africa, and Asia; naturalised in N. and S. America. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality or details (Patel 1999). 

Commelina bracteosa Hassk. 

Commelina aspera auctt. 

Perennial herb; erect to straggling or prostrate; spathes single to laxly clustered, 

on peduncles; spathe margins fused; flowers blue, rarely white. Malawi 

and Mozambique, up to E. Africa, Sudan, and Cameroon. 

No country given. Nyika Plateau, 1967, Richards 22692 (UZL). 

Commelina cecilae C.B.Clarke 

Plant hairy; leaves broadly triangular, densely fringed with hairs; spathes 

with margins free, flowers numerous, large, blue. Zimbabwe and Malawi. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Makhanga, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 

6755 (MAL). 

Commelina sp. aff. C. grossa C.B.Clarke 

(description of C. grossa) Plant nearly glabrous; spathe margins free, spathes 

purple-green; flowers blue, cymes paired in spathe, upper cyme many-flowered. 

Source. Determined by R.B. Faden (US) 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, path to Chisanga Falls from road, 2000, Willis 

34 (PRE). 

Commelina neurophylla C.B.Clarke 

Plant nearly glabrous; leaves often petiolate; spathe solitary, margins fused, 

longitudinal veins obscure; flowers blue. Malawi and Tanzania. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park; Chelinda Dam, 2000, Chapama 197 (FRIM); 

path to Chisanga Falls, 2000, Smook 10766B (PRE); Fingira Rock, 2000, 

Willis 229 (PRE); Dembo Bridge, 2000, Willis 24 (PRE). 

Cyanotis barbata D.Don 

Perennial, variable, hairy herb, easily detached corm, roots fibrous; no rosette 

of leaves; flower blue, rarely mauve or white; grasslands of high altitudes. 

Malawi and Zambia to E. Africa, Ethiopia, Sudan, and W. Africa; 

also along the Himalayas from India to China. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park; road at start of footpath to Chisanga Falls, 

2000, Smook 10771 (PRE, MAL); Dembo Bridge, 2000, Willis 22 (PRE). 

Cyanotis lanata Benth. 

Cyanotis lanata var. rubescens (A.Chev.) Schnell; Cyanotis longifolia 

sensu Berhaut, Fl. Senegal (1967: 351) 

Annual or short-lived perennial herb, cotton-hairy, rarely glabrous, roots 

fibrous; flowers purple, pink or white with pink; in seasonally wet places 

on or near rocks, sometime in cultivated ground. S. and tropical Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, without locality or collecting details (Patel 1999).

Aneilema hirtum 


20 mm 

20 mm 

Cyanotis longifolia 


20 mm 

Commelina neurophylla 


20 mm 

Murdannia simplex 



295

Ascolepis capensis 


20 mm 


20 mm 

Carex spicato-paniculata 


500 mm 

Bulbostylis densa 

subsp. afromontana 


Coleochloa setifera 


20 mm 

10 mm

Cyanotis longifolia Benth. 

Perennial, variable herb, tuberously thickened roots; leaf rosette usually 

present; usually hairy; flowers blue, rarely pink or white; in savanna, miombo 

woodland or grassland. Tropical Africa and northern Namibia. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park; path to Chisanga Falls, 2000, Smook 10749 

(PRE); Zungwara Road, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 6879 (MAL, PRE, UZL). 

Cyanotis speciosa (L.f.) Hassk. 

Perennial herb, rhizome vertical to U-shaped, roots cylindrical; basal cluster 

of leaves present; flowers pale to deep blue or mauve; in grassland. 

Ascolepis capensis (Kunth) Ridl. 

Slender perennial; sheaths becoming black and fibrous at base; inflorescence 

a very rounded somewhat compressed white head; in wet or seasonally 

wet grassland, in swamp-edges, and on tussocks in swamps; 1,000– 

1,800 m. Throughout tropical and southern Africa. 


Ascolepis protea Welw. var. bellidiflora Welw. 

Tufted perennial; leaves less than half the length of culm; inflorescence 

white rarely pale yellow, hemispherical to subglobose; wet grassland and 

other damp places. Scattered in tropical Africa from Nigeria to Ethiopia 

and S. to Zimbabwe and Angola. The A. protea collected by the Overton 

Expedition (Patel 1999) is probably this variety. 

Malawi. Chelinda Bridge, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 6903 (MAL, PRE); 

2.5 km from Thazima Gate, 2000, Burrows & Maroyi 6815 (MAL, PRE). 

Bulbostylis contexta (Nees) Bodard 

Abildgaardia contexta (Nees) Lye; Bulbostylis collina (Kunth) 

C.B.Clarke; Bulbostylis zeyheri (Boeck.) C.B.Clarke 

Robust, tussocky perennial with a short woody rhizome; leaves tufted at 

base; inflorescence open or compact, especially in southern Africa; spikelet 

5–8 mm long, glumes acute. Widespread in southern Africa as far N. as 

Angola and Kenya. 


1999). 

Bulbostylis densa (Wall.) Hand.-Mazz. subsp. afromontana 

(Lye) R.W.Haines 

Abildgaardia densa (Wall.) Lye subsp. afromontana Lye 

Tufted annual; glabrous or with short spine-like hairs scattered along culms 

and leaves; culms deeply grooved; inflorescence usually an umbel with 3–8 

spikelets; spikelet 2–5 mm long, glumes dark brown with conspicuous pale 

green or grey midrib; shallow soils in upland areas. Common in South 

Africa, less frequent in tropical Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, between Dam #2 and Chelinda Hill, 2000, 

Smook 10832 (PRE, MAL, UZL, SRGH, LMA); Sangula Kopje area, 2000, 

Smook 10854 (PRE, MAL, UZL, SRGH, LMA); 2000, Smook 10872 (PRE, 

MAL, UZL, SRGH, LMA); Chosi Hill, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 6738 (MAL, 

PRE); Thazima Gate, 2000, Burrows & Maroyi 6825 (MAL, PRE). 

Bulbostylis filamentosa (Vahl) C.B.Clarke 

Abildgaardia filamentosa (Vahl) Lye; Fimbristylis filamentosa (Vahl) 

K.Schum.; Bulbostylis metralis Cherm. 

Perennial with crowded culms from a short rhizome; leaves strongly scabrid; 

inflorescence a dense head 5–15 mm in diameter with individual spikelets 

hardly discernible; inflorescence bract often shorter than inflorescence, 

glume-like and with an excurrent mucro; spikelet 5–8 mm long; in temporarily 

wet places in grassland, swamps or rocky slopes. E. and W. Africa, 

occasional in southern Africa. 


1999). 

Bulbostylis macra (Ridl.) Lye 

Bulbostylis macra (Ridl.) C.B.Clarke; Bulbostylis zambesica C.B.Clarke; 

Fimbristylis macra Ridl. 

Perennial, tufted, base swollen; leaves numerous almost filiform; inflores- 

CYPERACEAE 

Southern Africa to Tanzania; also in Madagascar. 


Murdannia simplex (Vahl) Brenan 

Commelina simplex Vahl 

Perennial, robust, erect or sprawling herb; flowers light mauve to bluish, usually 

opening in the late afternoon; in woodland, wooded grassland, and dambos. 

South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and widespread in tropical Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park; footpath to Chisanga Falls, 2000, Smook 

10765 (PRE); Runyina River Bridge, 2000, Willis 201 (PRE). 

cence a solitary terminal, brown spikelet 6–13 mm long; in dryish woodlands. 

Widespread in tropical Africa. 


1999). 

Bulbostylis oligostachys (Hochst.) Lye 

Annual tufted with numerous flowering culms; culms angular with deep 

ridges; inflorescence a congested umbel, glumes black, pubescent. In seasonally 

wet soils in ditches and on shallow soils on rocks. E. and Central 

Africa and Angola. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, between Dam #2 and Chelinda Hill, 2000, 

Smook 10831 (PRE, MAL, UZL, SRGH, LMA). 

Bulbostylis oritrephes (Ridl.) C.B.Clarke 

Abildgaardia oritrephes (Ridl.) Lye; Bulbostylis trichobasis (Baker) 

C.B.Clarke; Bulbostylis caespitosa Peter 

Slender perennial with culms growing in rows from a horizontal rhizome, 

lowest part of culms thickened and bulb-like; inflorescence usually with 1– 

3 (10) spikelets; spikelet 4–8 mm long, glumes dark reddish brown; on 

bare ground, in open seasonally wet grassland or disturbed areas, in heavily 

trodden or grazed areas; 950–1,700 m. Common in southern Africa; 

also in tropical Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Nganda, 1972, Synge 369 (K, MAL). 

No country given. 1959, Robinson 3073 (UZL). 

Bulbostylis pilosa (Willd.) Cherm. 

Abildgaardia pilosa (Willd.) Nees; Fimbristylis africana T.Durand. & 

Schinz; Fimbristylis aphyllanthoides Ridl. 

A densely tufted perennial, rhizome thick, woody and creeping, culms 

crowded; inflorescence a solitary terminal head of 3–10 clustered spikelets; 

spikelet 8–15 mm long, ovate, compressed below, glumes golden or reddish 

brown; in open grassland or savanna; sea-level to 1,200 m. Tropical 

Africa. 


1979). 

Bulbostylis pusilla (A.Rich.) C.B.Clarke 

Annual, slender; capillary leaves; spikelets few, narrow, brown; moist grassy 

places, often on rock outcrops. Southern Africa, Central Africa, and Ethiopia; 

also in W. Africa and Chad. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Juniper Forest area, 2000, Smook 10922B 

(MAL, PRE). 

Bulbostylis scabricaulis Cherm. 

Abildgaardia collina (Ridl.) Lye 

Perennial, tufted with small clusters of bulb-like persistent culms, bases 

remaining attached to each other, the new ones arising within the broadened 

and hardened lower leaf-sheaths; inflorescence hemispherical with 

numerous spikelets; spikelets dark, culms scabrid hairy below inflorescence; 

in moist places. Southern Africa, eastern and W. Africa; also in Madagascar. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, circular drive to Dembo River Bridge, 2000, 

Smook 10805 (PRE). 

Bulbostylis sp. 

Resembling a capitate form of B. contexta? (= Abildgaardia contexta). 



297 

CYPERACEAE

CYPERACEAE 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Nganda, 1972, Synge 368 (BR, EA, K, LISC, 

MAL, P, PRE, SRGH, UPS). 

Carex aethiopica Schkur. 

Perennial, tufted and leafy; leaves often red at base; inflorescence several 

erect spikes from upper nodes of culm, glumes reddish brown; along forest 

margins near watercourses. Occurring mainly in South Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Juniper Forest area, 2000, Smook 10917 (PRE, 

MAL). 

Carex brassii Nelmes 

Perennial, tufted and leafy; inflorescence a slender panicle, glumes light 

brown; on stream banks in dense shade. Main known locality is Mt. 

Mulanje, Malawi. Closely related to C. spicato-paniculata. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park. without locality or collecting details (Patel 

1999). 

Carex chlorosaccus C.B.Clarke 

Carex echinochloe Kunze var. chlorosaccus (C.B.Clarke) Kük. 

Perennial, tufted and leafy, rhizome woody; culms obtusely triquetrous; 

inflorescence a slender, much-branched panicle; spikelet 6–20 mm long; in 

moist forests and along paths and roads. Widespread, but mainly E. Africa 

to Ethiopia. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Juniper Forest, 2000, Smook 10904 (MAL, PRE). 

Carex cognata Kunth var. congolensis (Turrill) Lye 

Carex congolensis Turrill; Carex pseudo-sphaerogyna Nelmes 

Perennial, tufted with small groups of culms arising together from short 

scaly stolons; inflorescence of 4–6 erect crowded spikes; in medium-altitude 

swamps. Zambia, Uganda, Rwanda, and D.R.C. Very close to var. 

cognata. 


Carex conferta Hochst. ex A.Rich. var. lycurus (K.Schum.) 

Lye 

Carex lycurus K.Schum. 

Perennial, robust, rhizome thick and creeping, roots pale; culm triangular; 

leaf 5–12 mm wide; inflorescence dense panicle; spikelet 5–10 mm long; 

upland swamps, along streams, and near lakes. N. Malawi, Tanzania, and 

Kenya; possibly also in Zimbabwe. 


1999). 


Carex echinochloe Kunze 

Perennial, tufted, leafy, rhizomatous; inflorescence a panicle; in open forest 

and woodland. Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and D.R.C. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park. without locality or collecting details (Patel 1999). 

Carex petitiana A.Rich. 

Carex fischeri K.Schum.; Carex cuprea (Kük.) Nelmes; Carex 

ninagongensis (Kük.) Robyns & Tournay 

Perennial, tufted or shortly creeping; culms bluntly triangular; inflorescence 

of 5–8 erect or drooping dense spikes, arising singly from leaf sheaths; in 

wet habitats along paths and streams. Ethiopia, E. Africa, Rwanda, and 

D.R.C. down to Zimbabwe; also in Nigeria and Cameroon. 

No country given. 1959, Robinson 3028 (UZL). 

Carex spicato-paniculata C.B.Clarke 

Perennial, tufted, rhizome thick; culms triangular; inflorescence of 1–2 pyramidal 

panicles from each of the upper leaf sheaths; spikelet 5–10 mm 

long; open to dense forest. Ethiopia, S.E. tropical Africa, and South Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Thazima Gate, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 

6759 (MAL); Sangule Kopje area, 2000, Smook 10855 (PRE, MAL, UZL, 

SRGH, LMA); Mbuzinandi, 2000, Salubeni & Mwanyambo 6818 (MAL). 

Coleochloa setifera (Ridley) Gilly 

Densely tufted perennial grass-like plant; leaves convolute-cylindrical, 0.5– 

2.5 mm wide when flattened, upper surface glabrous, lower surface hairy; 


inflorescence a lax panicle of 1–3 fascicles of spikes, spikelets 2–3 mm long; 

forming dense clumps on bare rock surfaces, often very common. Widespread 

in eastern tropical Africa from South Africa to Kenya; also in Madagascar. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Fingira Rock, 2000, Winter 4211 (PRE). 

Courtoisina cyperoides (Roxb.) Soják 

Courtoisina cyperoides (Roxb.) Nees 

Tufted annual, has a ‘fenugreek’ odour; inflorescence with many almost 

spherical spikes; spikelets 3.8–4.2 mm long, glumes yellowish grey with a 

green, strongly winged midrib; in seasonally wet grassland and temporary 

pools. Southern Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and 

Tanzania. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, 2.5 km from Thazima Gate, 2000, Burrows 

& Maroyi 6816 (MAL, PRE). 

Cyperus alopecuroides Rottb. 

Juncellus alopecuroides (Rottb.) C.B.Clarke 

Robust perennial; culms triangular; basal leaves crowded; inflorescence 

umbel-like with 1–many clusters of spikes; spikelet 2.5–8.0 mm long; in 

swamps and other wet areas, usually in standing water. Widespread in southern 

and tropical Africa; also in Madagascar, India, and Australia. 


1999). 

Cyperus amabilis Vahl 

Annual, slender to robust; culms solitary or crowded; leaf-sheaths short, 

reddish brown to purple; inflorescence orange-brown; in seasonally wet 

habitats, often in sandy soils near roads, lakes, and swamps. Widespread in 

tropical and South Africa; also in Madagascar, India, and S. America. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Chosi Hill, 2000, Burrows & Burrows 6739 

(MAL, PRE). 

Cyperus angolensis Boeck. 

Tall perennial, stoloniferous with solitary culms from swollen culm-bases; 

inflorescence globose, dirty white; dry grassland with scrub and scattered 

trees, often in places where burning is frequent. Common in tropical Africa, 

less frequent in southern Africa. 



Synge 396 (K, MAL). 

Cyperus denudatus L.f. var. lucenti-nigricans (K.Schum.) 

Kük. 

Perennial; culms sharply triangular to almost winged; inflorescence more 

usually tightly congested; spikelets blackish; in upland swamps and wet 

grasslands. Widespread in tropical Africa. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, near Juniper Forest, 2000, Smook 10913 

(PRE, MAL, UZL, SRGH, LMA). 

Cyperus distans L.f. 

Tufted perennial, rhizome short, thick; culms in a row or solitary; basal 

parts covered with leaf-sheaths; inflorescence compound umbel-like, at the 

base enclosed by a greenish to purplish tubular prophyll ending in two 

teeth or short blades; spikelet 7–20 mm long; wettish grasslands, streamsides, 

edges of pools and ditches, roadside banks, and in cultivation. Tropical 

and South Africa, Madagascar; Asia, Philippines, and Australia. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Dembo bridge, 2000, Thera 3024 (MAL). 

Cyperus esculentus L. var. esculentus 

Perennial, robust, stoloniferous with root tubers; inflorescence of one sessile 

and 3–10 stalked spikes; spikelets 5–20 mm long, obtuse, brown or 

rust coloured; in seasonally wet grassland and swamps; also a weed of 

cultivation. Cosmopolitan, but in warmer areas. 

Malawi. Nyika National Park, Thazima Gate, 2000, Burrows & Maroyi 6819 

(MAL, PRE). 

Cyperus exaltatus Retz. 

?Cyperus immensus C.B.Clarke var. taylorii C.B.Clarke

Courtoisina cyperoides 


10 mm 

10 mm 

260 mm 

Fuirena stricta 

subsp. chlorocarpa 


Eleocharis brainii 


Cyperus 

pseudoleptocladus 

Isolepis fluitans 


20 mm 


175 mm 


20 mm 

299

266-299 - SABONET

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