Streptocarpus glandulosissimus Engl.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Bwindi Forest National Park, Uganda

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nyakalengija, Rwenzori foothills Kasese, Uganda

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Synonyms:	Streptocarpus bequaertii De Wild. Streptocarpus mildbraedii Engl. Streptocarpus ruwenzoriensis Baker Streptocarpus smithii C.B.Clarke Streptocarpus tchenzemae Gilli Streptocarpus volkensii Engl.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Straggling or subscandent perennial herb, up to 150(-200) cm tall. Stems somewhat succulent, weak, branching, pubescent when young, glabrescent except for the hairy nodes, often purple streaked. Leaves opposite, ovate to ovate-elliptic, 3.5–14 mm long, shallowly cordate to rounded at the base, often highly asymmetric, apex acuminate or more rarely acute, hairy on both surfaces; lateral veins 8-15 pairs; margin entire; petiole 1-6 cm long, hairy. Inflorescences axillary to the upper leaves, 4-22-flowered; peduncles 5-16 cm long, eglandular-hairy at the base, with progressively more glandular hairs towards the apex; pedicels 6-20 mm long, glandular-hairy, often densely so; bracts linear-lanceolate, 2.5-5 mm long, hairy, often falling early. Calyx lobes broadly lanceolate, 2.5-4.5 mm long, hairy, with scattered subsessile glands. Corolla blue-purple to purple, often with a paler or whitish mouth, 16-30 mm long, glandular-hairy outside particularly on the tube; tube cylindric, 7-13 mm long, 2.5-4 mm deep, slightly swollen above the base; limb 2-lipped; upper lip of two erect, rounded lobes, 3-5 mm long, 4-6 mm wide; lower lip protruding, 12-20 mm long, lateral lobes rounded to asymmetric, 5-10 mm long, 5.5-15 mm wide, median lobe rounded or with a truncate to shallowly emarginate apex, 5-10.5 mm long, 7-17 mm wide. Capsule narrowly linear, 35-60 mm long, sparsely pubescent.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	glandulosissimus: very glandular.
Habitat:	In moist places along margins of montane evergreen forest.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	All year
Worldwide distribution:	DR Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Growth form(s):	Perennial.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Wednesday 8 October 2025
Literature:	Darbyshire, I. (2006). Gesneriaceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 139. Troupin, G. (1985). Gesneriaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume III Pages 497 - 499. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Streptocarpus glandulosissimus:

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Flora of the DRC: Streptocarpus glandulosissimus
Flora of Rwanda: Streptocarpus glandulosissimus

External websites:

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