Erica benguelensis (Welw. ex Engl.) E.G.H. Oliv.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along main road between Lake Kaulime turn-off and Kaperepeze road, Nyika National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road between Dam 3 and Chozi View Point, Nyika National Park

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Synonyms:	Erica benguelensis (Welw. ex Engl.) E.G.H. Oliv. var. albescens (R.Ross) E.G.H.Oliv. Philippia benguelensis (Welw. ex Oliv.) Britten Philippia benguelensis (Welw. ex Oliv.) Britten var. albescens R.Ross Philippia congoensis S. Moore Philippia holstii Engl. Philippia kundelungensis S. Moore Philippia milanjiensis Britten & Rendle Philippia stuhlmannii Engl. Salaxis benguelensis Welw. ex Engl.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	A shrub or tree up to 6 m tall. Branchlets densely pubescencent and usually with sparser longer glandular hairs. Leaves in whorls of 4, narrowly ovate, mostly up to 5 mm long, pubescent above; margin reflexed; petioles 0·5–0·7 mm long, pubescent. Flowers in terminal clusters of 4–12. Pedicels 1–2 mm long, pubescent. Calyx bowl–shaped, shortly pubescent; margin glandular or fimbriate; 3 lobes broadly triangular, about equalling the sinuses of the corolla, fused for 2/3 of their length; 4th lobe somewhat longer, almost equalling to slightly exceeding the corolla. Corolla bowl–shaped, pubescent outside, 1·1–1·8 mm long and 1·5–2·5 mm wide, pale green, often tinged reddish. Stamens usually 8 but from 5 to 9 in some flowers, slightly exceeding the corolla; style short, 0·1–0·3 mm, exceeded by the stamens until the capsule begins to ripen.
Type location:	Angola
Notes:	Subspp. previously described are no longer recognized.
Derivation of specific name:	benguelensis: after the Benguella region of Angola
Habitat:	In clearings and on edges of forest, in secondary scrub and bush clumps in montane grassland, sometimes forming dense stands.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, eastern DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
National distribution:
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 141. as Erica benguelensis benguelensis and albescnes Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 726. As Philippia benguelensis benguelensis and albescens (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 861. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 54. as Erica benguelensis benguelensis Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 29. As Philippia benguelensis Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 265. As Philippia benguelensis Fisher E. & Killmann D. (2008). Illustrated Field guide to the Plants of Nyungwe National Park Rwanda. University of Koblenz-Landau. Pages 224 - 225. as Erica benguelensis benguelensis (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 40. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 47. as Erica benguelensis benguelensis Ross, R. (1957). Notes on Philippia Bulletin du Jardin Botanique de L'Etat Bruxelles 27(4) Pages 752 - 754. Protologue of Philippia benguelensis var. albescens Ross, R. (1983). Ericaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 179 - 180. As Philippia benguelensis benguelensis and albescens Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 82. as Erica benguelensis benguelensis White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 233 - 234. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Erica benguelensis:

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Flora of Burundi: Erica benguelensis
Flora of Malawi: Erica benguelensis
Flora of Mozambique: Erica benguelensis
Flora of Rwanda: Erica benguelensis
Flora of Zambia: Erica benguelensis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Erica benguelensis

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Erica benguelensis
African Plant Database: Erica benguelensis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Erica benguelensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Erica benguelensis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Erica benguelensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Erica benguelensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Erica benguelensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Erica benguelensis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Erica benguelensis
Plants of the World Online: Erica benguelensis
Tropicos: Erica benguelensis
Wikipedia: Erica benguelensis