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Feb 8, 2010: Pandanus tectorius
Feb 8, 2008:
Sclerochiton odoratissimus
Feb 8, 2007:
Hakea epiglottis
Feb 8, 2006:
Eurya japonica
February 8, 2008 : Sclerochiton odoratissimus
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Keywords: Acanthaceae | Sclerochiton odoratissimus Hilliard | Somerset East, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Thank you to Michael Charters of Calflora.net for contributing today's photograph via the Botany Photo of the Day submissions forum on the garden's site (in this thread). As Michael notes, “Here's a picture of a beautiful species that has few if any images displayed on the internet”.
It's not just images that are hard to come by online – information about the species is hard to find, too! Michael's description, “It is an erect shrub 3-4' tall, sparsely hairy all over and sweetly scented, hence the species name”, is about as much information as I can locate, though the Botanical Society of Africa's Kwa Zulu-Natal Coastal Branch adds that it prefers semi-shade and has a common name of “white lips”.
Details about this genus of African woody plants are a bit easier to locate, thanks to the Flora of Zimbabwe's entry on Sclerochiton and (especially) the Tree of Life's page on Sclerochiton. The latter contains additional images of species in the genus, including the member of the genus most often (though still rarely) found in cultivation, Sclerochiton harveyanus (or “blue lips”, despite the colour of the flower in the image on that page). Swaziland's Flora Database explains that Sclerochiton harveyanus may have a flower colour of mauve, purple or violet (and in shade, I suppose, these may appear blue, hence blue lips).
Posted by Daniel Mosquin at February 8, 2008 9:37 AM
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Posted by: Roberta at February 8, 2008 12:54 PM
"odoratissimus" = "plenty of odour". No value judgements as to whether a nice smell, or a nasty smell. But a lot of plants with the species name odoratissimus have strong pleasant smells.
Posted by: Michael F at February 8, 2008 1:49 PM
this is a lovely plant and very new to me
i went to royal kew gardens they may have
an image but hard for me to down load
if it is the same plant
thank you
Posted by: elizabeth a airhart at February 8, 2008 2:51 PM
This Plant is ABSOLUTELY beautiful!
I've never seen anything like it...
The name fits it perfectlyyy.
amazing....
Posted by: Lindsay Marie at February 10, 2008 12:49 PM
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Why "odoratissimus"? Does it smell bad?