Clutia pulchella

Clutia pulchella, the lightning bush, is a southern African dioecious shrub of the family Peraceae. It occurs at middle altitudes in Namibia, Mozambique,[1] Zimbabwe,[2] Swaziland,[3] Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa.[4]

Clutia pulchella
C. pulchella var. pulchella
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Peraceae
Genus: Clutia
Species:
C. pulchella
Binomial name
Clutia pulchella

Description

They may grow 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) high,[3] and occur on a variety of broken terrain types.

The twigs are green with some wart-like growths. Leaf shape is somewhat variable, either blunt-tipped ovate or broadly lanceolate. The foliage is bluish-green but sometimes interspersed with some bright orange leaves.[5] They are soft with venation that is transparent against light, besides the numerous glands that dot each leaf.[5][Note 1]

The axillary flowers develop into spherical,[3] clearly three-chambered capsules. The capsules are about 3 millimetres (0.12 in) in diameter, and may bear warts. Seeds are released when the dry capsules burst open.

It is a food plant for the Heidelberg copper butterfly. It is similar to the related monoecious species C. abyssinica, which has the leaves more elongated.[4]

Close-ups
Foliage
Flowers

Infra-specific taxa
  • Clutia pulchella var. pulchella – widespread
  • Clutia pulchella var. franksiae Prain – localized in South Africa
  • Clutia pulchella var. obtusata Sond. – localized in South Africa and Zimbabwe

Notes
  1. i.e. punctate with pellucid glands, or pellucid-punctate.
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References
  1. "Clutia pulchella". Plant Database. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  2. Hyde, M. A.; et al. "Clutia pulchella L. var. obtusata Sond". Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  3. "Clutia pulchella L. var. pulchella". Swaziland's Flora Database. SNTC. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  4. "Clutia pulchella L." African Plant Database. CJB & SANBI. Retrieved 2 January 2013.
  5. Van Wyk, Braam (1988). Veldgids tot die Veldblomme van die Witwatersrand- en Pretoria-gebied. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 130–131. ISBN 0-86977-815-3.
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