Polygala sekhukhuniensis Retief, S.J.Siebert & A.E.van Wyk
Indigenous

Morphological description

Rigid perennial shrublet, 0.2-0.4 m high, with a woody rootstock; stems and leaves sparsely adpressed-hairy; hairs unbranched. Stems usually more than four from rootstock, erect and spreading, branched, woody at base; young branches green, herbaceous. Leaves spirally arranged, shortly petiolate; petiole upto 0.75 mm long; blade linear-oblong or obovate, 7-15 x 1.02.5 mm, apex obtuse, occasionally acute, mucronate, margin entire. Inflorescences comprising terminal racemes, peduncle up to 80 mm long, pedicels 1.75 mm long. Flowers irregular; bisexual, drooping. Calyx pentamerous, with sepals unequal, three outer ones sepaloid, two inner ones petaloid, larger wing-like, 6-8 x 3.5-5.0 mm, all free; wings pink with darker pink veins. Corolla of five petals, lowest one forming a carina, crested, crest dark pink to purple, two lateral ones usually vestigial or absent, two upper ones joined at base to carina and staminal tube. Stamens eight, basally fused for ±two-thirds their length. Ovary superior, two locular. Fruit a laterally compressed capsule, up to 6.5 mm long, membranous, edges wing-like, 0.25 mm wide, deeply notched at apex, 2-seeded. Seed 4.5 x 1.5 mm, ellipsoid, caruncle oblique, appendages poorly developed, single one membranous, paired ones chitinous; indumentum silky white, ±1 mm longer than seed; testa dark-brown to black. From: Siebert, SJ; Retief, E; Van Wyk, AE; Struwig, M. 2010. A new species of Polygala (Polygalaceae) from ultramafic soils in Sekhukhuniland, South Africa, with notes on its ecology. S. African J. Bot. 76(2): 345-353. [10.1016/j.sajb.2010.01.003] [Copyright held by the South African Association of Botanists (2010); http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02546299] [CC BY]

Diagnostic description

P. sekhukhuniensis most closely resembles P. leptophylla var. leptophylla, however, the leaf size of the former is 7-15 x 1-2.5 mm, whereas the leaves of the latter one are 14-22 x 1.5-3 mm Flowers of P. sekhukhuniensis differ from P. leptophylla var. leptophylla in the crest of the former being purple and the alae pink with darker pink veins, whereas the crest is white, pink or purple in the latter, with the alae whitish to yellowish with green veins. Seeds of P. sekhukhuniensis differ from P. leptophylla var. leptophylla in the colour of the testa, dark brown-black versus reddish-brown, the bare patch on the testa between the caruncle and the indumentum (the size, 0.3 x 0.6 mm versus 1.2 x 1.5 mm), and the caruncular appendages, poorly developed (0.2 versus 0.8 mm long). From: Siebert, SJ; Retief, E; Van Wyk, AE; Struwig, M. 2010. A new species of Polygala (Polygalaceae) from ultramafic soils in Sekhukhuniland, South Africa, with notes on its ecology. S. African J. Bot. 76(2): 345-353. [10.1016/j.sajb.2010.01.003] [Copyright held by the South African Association of Botanists (2010); http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02546299] [CC BY]

Habitat

Heavily eroded localized sites, a natural geomorphological feature of some of the highly water-dispersible soils derived from ultramafic rocks in the valleys of the Steelpoort River and its tributaries in the Sekhukhuneland Centre of Plant Endemism. From: Siebert, SJ; Retief, E; Van Wyk, AE; Struwig, M. 2010. A new species of Polygala (Polygalaceae) from ultramafic soils in Sekhukhuniland, South Africa, with notes on its ecology. S. African J. Bot. 76(2): 345-353. [10.1016/j.sajb.2010.01.003] [Copyright held by the South African Association of Botanists (2010); http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02546299] [CC BY]

Distribution

Sekhukhuneland. From: Siebert, SJ; Retief, E; Van Wyk, AE; Struwig, M. 2010. A new species of Polygala (Polygalaceae) from ultramafic soils in Sekhukhuniland, South Africa, with notes on its ecology. S. African J. Bot. 76(2): 345-353. [10.1016/j.sajb.2010.01.003] [Copyright held by the South African Association of Botanists (2010); http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02546299] [CC BY]

Flowering time

November to June

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: BODATSA: Data partners records:

Residence status

Occurrence in the Flora of Southern Africa (FSA) countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, naturalised or invasive in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature

FSA

SA

BOT

NAM

ESW

LES

WC

EC

NC

FS

GA

KZN

LP

MP

NW

Absent

Indigenous

Endemic

Naturalised

Invasive

Names and Sources

Accepted name
Polygala sekhukhuniensis Retief, S.J.Siebert & A.E.van Wyk

Published in: S. African J. Bot. 76(2): 346 (2010)

Synonym(s)

Classification

KINGDOM Plantae

SUBKINGDOM Phanerogamae

ORDER Fabales

14 results for Polygala sekhukhuniensis Retief, S.J.Siebert & A.E.van Wyk

Specimen records

Barcode: PRE0265491-0 Collector(s) & number: Barnard, WG, 135 | 1934-11-8

South Africa, Limpopo, LYDENBURG DIST.; SEKUKUNI

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0856895-0 Collector(s) & number: Van Wyk, AE, 13031 | 1997-12-1

South Africa, Mpumalanga, Lydenburg District. Thorncliffe Chrome Mine. Turn off from Lydenburg Sekhukhune Road.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0566600-0 Collector(s) & number: Jacobsen, NHG, 5546 | 1997-10-15

South Africa, Limpopo, Sekhukhuneland. Ga-Mankopane. Umkoanesstad Farm 419KS near Atok Platinum Mine.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0257876-0 Collector(s) & number: Barnard, WG, 209 | 1934-11-15

South Africa, Limpopo, LYDENBURG DIST.; SEKUKUNILAND; HOERARORP FARM

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0569041-0 Collector(s) & number: Meyer, JJ, 3042 | 2000-10-12

South Africa, Mpumalanga, Steelpoort Park South of Steelpoort.

General notes: Sourish Mixed Bushveld. Plain. Soil. Well drained. Sand. Full sun. W - aspect. Slope: moderate. Biotic effect: roadside. Herb. Leaves: small, linear. Flowers: pink.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0862214-0 Collector(s) & number: Bester, SP, 11488 | 2013-2-5

South Africa, Limpopo, Sekhukhuneland District; 20.6 km NW of Sekhukhune settlement. Petseng area. 24°34'58.1"S 29°55'30.0"E.

General notes: Bioregion: Central Bushveld. Vegetation type: Sekhukhune Montane Bushveld. Flowers pink-purple. Det. conf. by M.S.Mothogoane on 05/2013.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0778561-0 Collector(s) & number: Kritzinger, JJ, 118 | 1991-11-4

South Africa, Limpopo, Sekhukhuneland Maandagshoek Moderate NE slope

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0265460-0 Collector(s) & number: Barnard, WG, 738 | 1939-1-5

South Africa, Limpopo, LYDENBURG DIST.; SEKUKUNILAND; PARYS FARM

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0837804-0 Collector(s) & number: Burgoyne, PM, 6015 | 1997-4-2

South Africa, Mpumalanga, Steelpoort District: Spitskop area; About 2 km from Spitskop turn off riding south on Steelpoort/Lydenburg road, where Escom powerlines cross the road obliquely. Hill slope. 24°56'10.0"S 30°07'17.8"E

General notes: Savanna - Bushveld. Loam soil. Well-drained. Granite. Full sun. Slope: gentle. Aspect: SE. Biotic effect: none seen. Herb ± 30 cm tall. Sparse forb with biue/green leaves. Dark purple flowers. Rare.

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Barcode: PRE0702720-0 Collector(s) & number: Jordaan, M, 782 | 1986-11-9

South Africa, Mpumalanga, DWARSRIVER; 5 KM ON TURNOFF TO LYDENBURG FROM STOFBERG- STEELPOORT ROAD

Data Resource: BODATSA View record

Observation records

Date: 1/23/2020 8:28:00 AM

Limpopo

Data Resource: iNaturalist View record

Date: 11/17/2020 1:56:49 PM

Limpopo

Data Resource: iNaturalist View record

Date: 2/15/2024 4:51:00 PM

Limpopo

Data Resource: iNaturalist View record

Date: 11/29/2021 7:40:00 PM

Limpopo

Data Resource: iNaturalist View record

Plant occurence records per dataset

Plant occurence records per year

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: BODATSA: Data partners records:

No results found for Polygala sekhukhuniensis Retief, S.J.Siebert & A.E.van Wyk

No assessment available

Part(s) of plant used Use(s) Reference

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