Clutia pulchella
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{speciesbox
|image = Clutia pulchella, habitus, Seringveld.jpg
|image_caption = C. pulchella var. pulchella
|genus = Clutia
|species = pulchella
|authority = L.
}}
Clutia pulchella, the lightning bush, is a southern African dioecious shrub of the family Peraceae. It occurs at middle altitudes in Namibia, Mozambique,{{cite web |title=Clutia pulchella |work=Plant Database |url=http://www.plantdatabase.co.uk/Clutia_pulchella |accessdate=2 January 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131015093059/http://www.plantdatabase.co.uk/Clutia_pulchella |archive-date=15 October 2013 |url-status=dead }} Zimbabwe,{{cite web |last=Hyde |first=M. A. |title=Clutia pulchella L. var. obtusata Sond. |url=http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=135600 |work=Flora of Zimbabwe |accessdate=2 January 2013|display-authors=etal}} Eswatini,{{cite web|title=Clutia pulchella L. var. pulchella|url=http://www.sntc.org.sz/flora/speciesinfo.asp?spid=1699 |work=Swaziland's Flora Database |publisher=SNTC |accessdate=2 January 2013}} Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa.{{cite web |title=Clutia pulchella L. |url=http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=174049 |work=African Plant Database |publisher=CJB & SANBI |accessdate=2 January 2013}}
Description
They may grow {{convert|2|-|3|m|ft}} high, 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.{{cite book |last=Van Wyk |first=Braam |title=Veldgids tot die Veldblomme van die Witwatersrand- en Pretoria-gebied |year=1988 |publisher=Struik |location=Cape Town |isbn=0-86977-815-3 |pages=130–131}} They are soft with venation that is transparent against light, besides the numerous glands that dot each leaf.i.e. punctate with pellucid glands, or pellucid-punctate.
The axillary flowers develop into spherical, clearly three-chambered capsules. The capsules are about {{convert|3|mm}} 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.
{{multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
| direction = horizontal
| align = right
| header = Close-ups
| image1 = Clutia pulchella, loof en blomknoppe, b, Seringveld.jpg
| caption1 = Foliage
| image2 = Clutia pulchella, blomme, Seringveld.jpg
| caption2 = Flowers
}}
Infra-specific taxa
- 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
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References
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External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Clutia pulchella|Clutia pulchella}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5136759}}