Rotheca wildii (Moldenke) R. Fern.

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (6)

Photo: Petra Ballings
Cleveland Dam, Harare

Photo: Bart Wursten
Cleveland Dam, Harare

Photo: Bart Wursten
Haka Game Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Between Hot Springs Resort and Odzi River

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Clerodendrum wildii Moldenke
Common names:	Smooth-leaved blue cat's whiskers (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Somewhat fleshy shrub or small tree. Leaves elliptic, slightly folded upwards along the midrib, hairless, aromatic when crushed; margins bluntly toothed in the upper parts. Flowers in terminal heads, appearing before the new leaves, creamy green with lower lobe deep violet, hairy; stamens and style long and curving. Fruit deeply 4-lobed, fleshy, hairless, dark green to black when ripe, held in the spreading remains of the calyx.
Notes:	Two forms are sometimes recognized. Only f. glabra (R. Fern.) R. Fern. has been recorded from Botswana. It has inflorescence axis, peduncles, pedicels and corolla limbs in bud mostly hairless.
Derivation of specific name:	wildii: after Professor Hiram Wild (1917-1982), former Head of the National Herbarium (SRGH), taxonomist and avid collector.
Habitat:	In rocky places in woodland or near termite mounds.
Flowering time:	Aug - Dec
Worldwide distribution:	Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia,Zimbabwe, Botswana and Limpopo South Africa.
Botswana distribution:	N
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Saturday 7 October 2017
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 851. As forma glabra and forma wildii (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 14. As Clerodendrum wildii Coates Palgrave, M. (1989). Guide to the trees and shrubs of the Mukuvisi Woodlands ?publisher. Page 30. as Clerodendrum wildii Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 272. As Clerodendrum wildii Fernandes, R. (2005). Lamiaceae (subfamilies: Viticoideae and Ajugoideae) Flora Zambesiaca 8(7) Pages 143 - 144. As Rotheca wildii forma wildii and forma glabra Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1967). The influence of copper content of the soil on trees and shrubs of Molly South Hill, Mangula Kirkia 6(1) Pages 63 - 84. As Clerodendrum wildii 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 57. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 71. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 79.

Other sources of information about Rotheca wildii:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Rotheca wildii
Flora of Mozambique: Rotheca wildii
Flora of Zambia: Rotheca wildii
Flora of Zimbabwe: Rotheca wildii

External websites:

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