Lobostemon echioides
{{Short description|Species of plant from South Africa}}
{{Speciesbox
| genus = Lobostemon
| species = echioides
| authority = Lehm.
| synonyms = *Echium buekii I.M.Johnst.
- Echium diversifolium (H.Buek) I.M.Johnst.
- Echium echioides (Lehm.) I.M.Johnst.
- Echium fastigiatum (H.Buek) I.M.Johnst.
- Echium microphyllum (H.Buek) I.M.Johnst.
- Echium nitidum (Bolus) I.M.Johnst.
- Echium pubiflorum (C.H.Wright) I.M.Johnst.
- Echium trichotomum Thunb.
- Echium virgatum (H.Buek) I.M.Johnst.
- Lobostemon diversifolius H.Buek
- Lobostemon elongatus H.Buek
- Lobostemon fastigiatus H.Buek
- Lobostemon lehmannianus H.Buek
- Lobostemon microphyllus H.Buek
- Lobostemon nitidus Bolus
- Lobostemon nitidus Bolus ex C.H.Wright
- Lobostemon pubiflorus C.H.Wright
- Lobostemon virgatus H.Buek
| synonyms_ref = {{GBIF |id= 4060227 |taxon= Lobostemon echinoides |accessdate= 1 November 2021}}
}}
Lobostemon echioides is a species of flowering plant in the family Boraginaceae.{{cite web |url= https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:118283-1 |title= Lobostemon echioides Lehm. |author= |date=n.d. |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=June 14, 2025}}{{cite web |url= https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/3VTTM |title= Lobostemon echioides Lehm. |author= |date=n.d. |website=Catalogue of Life |publisher=Species 2000 |access-date=June 14, 2025}} Commonly referred to as the common healthbush, it is the mostly widely distributed species in its genus. It is endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa, where it is found growing between Namaqualand and the Karoo and the Eastern Cape.
Description
This resprouting shrub or undershrub grows about {{Convert|20-80|cm|in|abbr=on}} tall.{{Cite book|last1=Manning|first1=John|url=https://www.sanbi.org/sites/default/files/documents/documents/strelitzia-29-2012.pdf|title=Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Region : 1: the core Cape flora|last2=Goldblatt|first2=Peter|date=2012|publisher=South African National Biodiversity Institute, SANBI|isbn=978-1-919976-74-7|location=Pretoria|oclc=852384288}} The stalkless leaves are narrow and hairy and are often soft and silvery.
Flowers are mainly present from August to October but have been found year round. Plants flowering from February to May seem to be confined to the southern parts of the distribution, where small amounts of rain are available throughout the year. The flowers are small (petals are {{Convert|17-30|mm|in|abbr=on}} long) and violet-blue. They are hairy on the outside and are borne in may flowered cymes. The buds are arranged in two distinct rows, spreading greatly in the fruiting stage. The stamens protrude beyond the petals. The staminal scales are triangular with lateral lobes. The staminal scales inserted at the throat of the corolla tube, about {{Convert|2-3|mm|in|abbr=on}} above the base of the corolla tube
Distribution and habitat
This is the most widely distributed Lobostemon species, occurring across the range of the genus.{{Cite web|last=Buys|first=Matt H|date=2006|title=Lobostemon|url=http://pza.sanbi.org/lobostemon|access-date=2021-11-01|website=PlantZAfrica}} It grows from Namaqualand and the Karoo through to the Eastern Cape.BODATSA: Botanical Collections. v1.4. South African National Biodiversity Institute. Dataset/Occurrence. http://ipt.sanbi.org.za/iptsanbi/resource?r=brahms_online&v=1.4 It prefers drier habitats and is absent from wetter areas. It grows on stony slopes and flats in mostly sandstone derived soils.
Ecology
References
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Category:Plants described in 1830