Muraltia heisteria

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Muraltia heisteria
Muraltia heisteria (Polygalaceae) (37484572130).jpg
LC (Red List of South African Plants)
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Polygalaceae
Genus: Muraltia
Species:
M. heisteria
Binomial name
Muraltia heisteria
(L.) DC.
Synonyms[1]
  • Heisteria pungens P.J.Bergius
  • Muraltia albietina Chodat
  • Polygala heisteria L.
  • Polygala stipulacea Burm.f.

Muraltia heisteria is a shrub in the milkwort family (Polygalaceae) which is native to South Africa and is cultivated in Australia. It was first described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus.

Description[]

It is a very prickly, erect, sparsely-branched perennial shrub or dwarf shrub which is very rigid and densely branched. It has a height between 20 and 80 centimetres (0.66 and 2.62 ft).[2][3][4][5] It contains hard, thick, spine-tipped, lance-shaped leaves which usually have hairy edges. They are clustered along the stem and are 5 to 10 millimetres (0.20 to 0.39 in) long and 1 to 2 millimetres (0.039 to 0.079 in) wide.[3][4]

It produces small purple, pink, or occasionally white flowers which are thickly studded along the branches and 7 to 12 millimetres (0.28 to 0.47 in) long.[3][4][5][6][7] Its 5 sepals are 4 to 5 millimetres (0.16 to 0.20 in) long and almost equal in length while its 3 petals are 8 to 10 millimetres (0.31 to 0.39 in) long.[6][7]

Taxonomy[]

It was first described by Carl Linnaeus as part of the Polygala genus in 1753.[8] It was reclassified as a Muraltia in the 1760s.[9] It is named after Lorenz Heister, a German surgeon and botanist.[3]

Habitat and Ecology[]

It is native to lower rocky mountain slopes with altitudes between 5 and 1,705 metres (16 and 5,594 ft) in Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and Western Cape and has been introduced to South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria.[2][3][4] The plant has been shown to naturally self-pollinate.[9] It flowers between October and December in native areas, and between June and November in Australia.[3][4][7] It serves as the host plant of the insect .[10] According to the Red List of South African Plants, it is of least ecological concern and its population is stable.[11]

Uses[]

The flowering twigs of the plant are used as an appetite stimulant in the local area and the plant is cultivated in Australia.[9]

References[]

  1. ^ "Muraltia heisteria (L.) DC". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Muraltia heisteria (L.) DC". www.ville-ge.ch. Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques Ville de Geneve. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Muraltia heisteria". Fernkloof Nature Reserve. Hermanus Botanical Society. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Muraltia heisteria". Flora of Victoria. Government of Victoria, Australia. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "MURALTIA Heisteria DC. [family POLYGALACEAE]". Global Plant Database. JSTOR. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Muraltia heisteria (L.) DC". New South Wales Flora Online. Government of New South Wales. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c "Fact sheet for Muraltia heisteria". Flora of South Australia. Government of South Australia. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  8. ^ "Polygala heisteria L., Sp. Pl. 2: 704 (1753)". International Plant Names Index. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c South African National Biodiversity Institute. "Muraltia heisteria". PlantZAfrica. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  10. ^ "Pseudococcus muraltiæ n. sp". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. Entomological Society of America. 5: 184–186. 1912.
  11. ^ South African National Biodiversity Institute. "Muraltia heristeria (L.) DC". Red List of South African Plants. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
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