''Wahlenbergia loddigesii'' is a herbaceous plant in the family '' Campanulaceae'' native to the southern Cape regions of South Africa.

Description

''Wahlenbergia loddigesii'' has a slender, rambling, diffuse-sprawling growth-habit. Its leaves are small, lanceolate (or ovate-lanceolate), somewhat thick and strongly recurved. The leaf tips are acute-acuminate and the margins are normally entire. Its flowers are born in diffuse partial racemes, at the tips of long slender (often branched) flowering branches. The flowers are solitary or in pairs. The petals are strongly recurved. The outside of the petals is usually blue, but can more rarely be purple or white. The style is usually blue-tipped. The base of the filaments is rhombic and ciliate. Its calyx lobes are short (1.5-2mm), triangular acute, faintly keeled and slightly revolute along the edges. The ovary is usually minutely hairy, only half inferior, and basally rounded.

Distribution and habitat

This species is indigenous to the Western Cape and

Eastern Cape The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha. The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...

provinces of South Africa. It occurs from

Ceres Ceres most commonly refers to: * Ceres (dwarf planet), the largest asteroid * Ceres (mythology), the Roman goddess of agriculture Ceres may also refer to: Places Brazil * Ceres, Goiás, Brazil * Ceres Microregion, in north-central Goiás st ...

and Worcester in the west, to Bredasdorp in the south, Ladismith, Oudtshoorn and

Prince Albert Prince Albert most commonly refers to: *Albert, Prince Consort (1819–1861), consort of Queen Victoria *Albert II, Prince of Monaco (born 1958), present head of state of Monaco Prince Albert may also refer to: Royalty * Albert I of Belgium ...

in the north, and eastwards as far as

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, Sou ...

and Somerset East. (A variety, ''W. loddigesii'' var. ''montana'', is sometimes recognised for the more gracile, pale-flowered plants occurring in the Swartberg mountains, at the top of the

Swartberg Pass The Swartberg Pass on the R328 runs over the Swartberg mountain range (''black mountain'' in English) which runs roughly east–west along the northern edge of the semi-arid area called the Little Karoo in the Western Cape province of South A ...

.) ''Wahlenbergia loddigesii'' is most commonly found in dry, stony areas, on slopes or rocky hills. This species is similar to, and often confused with, ''

Wahlenbergia tenella ''Wahlenbergia tenella'' (known as the "Fine Capebell") is a herbaceous plant in the family '' Campanulaceae'' native to the southern Cape regions of South Africa. Description ''Wahlenbergia tenella'' has an erect-sprawling growth-habit. Its l ...

'' and '' Wahlenbergia nodosa''.Adamson, R.S. 1955. ''The South African species of Lightfootia.'' Journal of South African Botany 21. pp.198.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q92176905 loddigesii Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces Renosterveld Fynbos