Polygala hottentotta C. Presl

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Serpentine hill behind Valley of Kings, Mutare

Photo: Bart Wursten
Great Dyke, nr Kopje Tops, Mavhuradonha Wilderness Area

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Synonyms:	Polygala abyssinica sensu Gibbs
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb, up to c 60 cm tall. Stems arching, wiry, sparsely branched, hairless or minutely pubescent. Leaves alternate, widely spaced, linear, 1-4 cm long, hairless or sparsely pubescent; margin entire. Inflorescences in fairly laxly many-flowered terminal racemes up to 20 cm long. Flowers yellowish-white, pink or purple, with conspicuous darker veining. Capsule, 4-5 mm long, obliquely obovate-elliptic, hairless; margin narrowly winged.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	hottentotta: referring the region of the South African Cape known as the land of the Hottentots or Khoi-khoi.
Habitat:	In grassland and woodland.
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Eswatini and South Africa.
Botswana distribution:	SE
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 95. Exell, A.W. (1960). Polygalaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 325 - 326. Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 218 - 219. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 322. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 67. Pooley, E. (1998). A Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region. Natal Flora Publications Trust. Durban. Pages 404 - 405. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 93. Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 228 - 229. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 97.

Other sources of information about Polygala hottentotta:

Our websites:

Flora of Mozambique: Polygala hottentotta
Flora of Zimbabwe: Polygala hottentotta

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Polygala hottentotta
African Plant Database: Polygala hottentotta
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Polygala hottentotta
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Polygala hottentotta
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Polygala hottentotta
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Polygala hottentotta
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Polygala hottentotta
JSTOR Plant Science: Polygala hottentotta
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Polygala hottentotta
Plants of the World Online: Polygala hottentotta
Tropicos: Polygala hottentotta
Wikipedia: Polygala hottentotta