Heterotis rotundifolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Melastomataceae
Genus: Heterotis
Species:
H. rotundifolia
Binomial name
Heterotis rotundifolia
(Sm.) Jacq.-Fél. (1981)
Synonyms[1]
  • Asterostoma rotundifolia Blume (1849)
  • Dissotis plumosa (D.Don) Hook f. (1871)
  • Dissotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Triana (1871 publ. 1872)
  • Heterotis plumosa (D.Don) Benth. (1849)
  • Kadalia rotundifolia Raf. (1838)
  • Melastoma plumosum D.Don (1823), nom. illeg.
  • Osbeckia rotundifolia Sm. (1813)

Heterotis rotundifolia, commonly called pink lady, Spanish Shawl, or rockrose,[2] is a shrub in the family Melastomataceae that occurs in tropical Africa.[3]

Description

Flower of Heterotis rotundifolia in Kerala

Heterotis rotundifolia can grow in a variety of ways, from straight up and erect to lying flat and prostrate to decumbent, meaning the branches lie flat on the ground but turn up at the ends. When the stems trail, they root where the leaf connects to the stem, called the "node". The stems are woody on lower parts of the plant and become hirsute, meaning hairy, towards the top of the plant. The branches tend to spread wide, and range from pink to a dark reddish in color.[4]

The leaves are oval shaped and three-ribbed, being 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) long and 6–15 mm (0.24–0.59 in) wide.[5] They are covered with short, appressed hairs on both sides. The stalks of the leaves are as long as 1.5 cm (0.59 in), pilose, and pink.

The flowers of Heterotis rotundifolia are solitary, and the stalks of the flowers, like the leaves, are covered with tiny appressed hairs. The petals of the flower are 1.5–2 cm (0.59–0.79 in) in length and range from pink to a pale purple in color.[6]

Habitat and ecology

Heterotis rotundifolia is native to Africa, occurring naturally in central and western Africa from Sierra Leone to Zaire. It has been introduced as a ground cover and ornamental plant to other tropical areas such as Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Malaysia, and the West Indies,[7][6] and has become naturalised in some topical parts of Australia.[8] The shrub can grow at elevations from sea level to about 1,900 m (6,200 ft) above sea level.[9]

Uses

The leaves of Heterotis rotundifolia are used as a spice for sauces and as a potherb.[7] In Liberia, the plant is used as a diuretic.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Heterotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Jacq.-Fél. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. ↑ Macfoy, Cyrus (2013). Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine in Sierra Leone. iUniverse. p. 147. ISBN 978-1-4917-0611-4. LCCN 2013916234. Retrieved February 11, 2020 – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ Livia Wanntorp; Louis P. Ronse De Craene (22 September 2011). Flowers on the Tree of Life. Cambridge University Press. pp. 229–232. ISBN 978-1-139-50235-1.
  4. ↑ Umberto Quattrocchi (2012). CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology. Vol. 4. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781439895702.
  5. ↑ John Wilkes (1820) Encyclopaedia Londinensis, Or, Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature Volume 17
  6. 1 2 Alain H. Liogier (1982) Descriptive Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands
  7. 1 2 Johannes Seidemann (2005) World Spice Plants: Economic Usage, Botany, Taxonomy
  8. ↑ F.A.Zich; B.P.M.Hyland; T.Whiffen; R.A.Kerrigan (2020). "Dissotis rotundifolia". Australian Tropical Rainforest Plants Edition 8 (RFK8). Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research (CANBR), Australian Government. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  9. ↑ G. E. Wickens (1975) Flora of Tropical East Africa
  10. ↑ E. B. Shuttleworth (1878–1879). Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal. Vol. 12.
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