''Melhania didyma'' is a plant in the mallow family
Malvaceae
Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species. Well-known members of economic importance include okra, cotton, cacao and durian. There are also some genera containing familiar ...
, native to southern Africa.
Description
''Melhania didyma'' grows as a low bushy shrub tall, sometimes to tall. It branches from near the base, with a woody main stem. The leaves are
pubescent The adjective pubescent may describe:
* people or animals undergoing puberty
* plants that are hairy, covered in trichomes
* insects that are covered in setae
In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a ...
above,
tomentose
Trichomes (); ) are fine outgrowths or appendages on plants, algae, lichens, and certain protists. They are of diverse structure and function. Examples are hairs, glandular hairs, scales, and papillae. A covering of any kind of hair on a pl ...
below and measure up to long. Inflorescences measuring up to long are typically two-flowered and feature yellow petals. The species resembles ''
Melhania forbesii'' in the
bracts of the
epicalyx, but differs in upper leaf surface.
[
]
Distribution and habitat
''Melhania didyma'' is native to Botswana, South Africa (Cape Provinces
The Cape Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "CPP". It includes the Sout ...
, KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Provinces
The Northern Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "TVL". It includes the So ...
) and Eswatini.[ Its habitat includes thornveld, grassy slopes or forest margins. The species is often found by rivers.][
]
References
didyma
Flora of Southern Africa
Plants described in 1835
{{Malvaceae-stub