Brachystephanus africanus

Native to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar.

Brachystephanus africanus is a herb that produces fresh stems from a woody base. It grows to 0.3–2 m tall and has leaves 5.5–24 cm long and 1.8–10 cm wide, with a petiole (leaf stalk) 0.7–6.2 cm long. The inflorescence takes the form of a spike of flowers and is 5.5–25 cm long. It bears bracts (small, leaf-like, flower-protecting structures) 5–25 mm long, 1.7–6.5 mm wide, which are dark green or tinged pink, purple or red-brown with somewhat transparent margins and a group of hairs usually restricted to the tip. The inflorescence also bears bracteoles (even smaller, leaf-like, flower-protecting structures) 2–6.5 mm long and 0.5–1 mm wide, also with transparent margins. The calyx lobes (outer protective structures of the flower) are 2.5-17 mm long. The flowers are mauve, violet, blue, rose or red, and are 29-51 mm long. The tube of the flower is narrowly cylindrical, 22–38 mm long and covered with short hairs. The upper lip of the flower is 6.5–13.5 mm long and 5.5–8 mm wide, with the tip ending in a small, projecting point. The lower lip of the flower is 7–14.5 mm long and 6–8.5 mm wide. The stamens (male parts) are 13.5–36 mm long and project out of the flower. The style (female part) is 35–75 mm long. The fruit is a hard capsule, 11.5–15 mm long.

In Brachystephanus africanus var. africanus the tip of the bract is either straight or bent inwards, distinguishing it from B. africanus var. recurvatus, which has bracts with outward-bending tips. (In B. africanus var. madagascariensis the bracts are unlike those of the other varieties as they are widest near their tip and the tip is slightly outwardly bent but not completely revurved).

Brachystephanus africanus has been assessed as Least Concern as it is widespread and often locally abundant.

The Millennium Seed Bank partnership aims to save plant life worldwide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in Kew's seed bank vault at Wakehurst.

Collections stored in the Millennium Seed Bank: One.

Several dried and pressed specimens of Brachystephanus africanus are held in Kew’s Herbarium, including a type specimen. The details of some of these specimens can be seen online in the Herbarium Catalogue. Herbarium specimens are available to researchers by appointment.

Search Kew’s science databases to find out more about this species

Find out more about the Kew expedition to Mozambique, on which this species was found

Find out more about African Floras: Flora of Tropical East Africa and Flora Zambesiaca

Explore Brachystephanus in The Plant List