Clutia pulchella, the lightning bush, is a southern African dioecious shrub of the family Peraceae. It occurs at middle altitudes in Namibia, Mozambique,[1] Zimbabwe,[2] Eswatini,[3] Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa.[4]
| Clutia pulchella | |
|---|---|
| |
| C. pulchella var. pulchella | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Peraceae |
| Genus: | Clutia |
| Species: | C. pulchella
|
| Binomial name | |
| Clutia pulchella | |
Description
editThey may grow 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) high,[3] and occur on a variety of broken terrain types.
The twigs are green with some wart-like growths. Leaf shape is somewhat variable, either blunt-tipped ovate or broadly lanceolate. The foliage is bluish-green but sometimes interspersed with some bright orange leaves.[5] They are soft with venation that is transparent against light, besides the numerous glands that dot each leaf.[5][Note 1]
The axillary flowers develop into spherical,[3] clearly three-chambered capsules. The capsules are about 3 millimetres (0.12 in) in diameter, and may bear warts. Seeds are released when the dry capsules burst open.
It is a food plant for the Heidelberg copper butterfly. It is similar to the related monoecious species C. abyssinica, which has the leaves more elongated.[4]
Infra-specific taxa
edit- Clutia pulchella var. pulchella – widespread
- Clutia pulchella var. franksiae Prain – localized in South Africa
- Clutia pulchella var. obtusata Sond. – localized in South Africa and Zimbabwe
Notes
edit- ^ i.e. punctate with pellucid glands, or pellucid-punctate.
References
edit- ^ "Clutia pulchella". Plant Database. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ Hyde, M. A.; et al. "Clutia pulchella L. var. obtusata Sond". Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ a b c "Clutia pulchella L. var. pulchella". Swaziland's Flora Database. SNTC. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ a b "Clutia pulchella L." African Plant Database. CJB & SANBI. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
- ^ a b Van Wyk, Braam (1988). Veldgids tot die Veldblomme van die Witwatersrand- en Pretoria-gebied. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 130–131. ISBN 0-86977-815-3.
External links
edit
Media related to Clutia pulchella at Wikimedia Commons
