Harpagophytum zeyheri Decne.
subsp. sublobatum (Engl.) Ihlenf. & H.E.K. Hartmann

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Photo: Petra Ballings
Katima Mulilo area, near APL power plant

Photo: Bart Wursten
Katima Mulilo area, near APL power plant

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Synonyms:	Harpagophytum zeyheri Decne. var. sublobatum (Engl.) Stapf
Common names:	Grapple plant (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Perennial herb with prostrate annual stems growing from a succulent taproot, forming a thick tuber. Leaves broadly ovate; margins crenate to deeply lobed. Flowers solitary in leaf axils, pink or purple, yellow in the throat. Fruit a woody capsule with 4 rows of curved arms, each bearing recurved spines. This species is similar to H. procumbens but is easily distinguished when in fruit. The fruits of H. procumbens have very long, curved arms, while those of H. zeyheri are much less extravagant.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	zeyheri: named after Carl Zeyher, 1799 - 1858, a German naturalist
Habitat:	On Kalahari sand in dry open woodland
Flowering time:	Dec - Feb
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in southern Africa, from Namibia and Zambia south to Botswana and Zimbabwe
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Thursday 1 March 2018
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 19. Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Botswana Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 19. As Harpagophytum zeyheri Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 182. (Includes a picture). Ihlenfeldt, H.-D. (1988). Pedaliaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(3) Page 113. (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 66. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 92. As Harpagophytum zeyheri (Includes a picture). Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 122, plate 163 Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 91.

Other sources of information about Harpagophytum zeyheri subsp. sublobatum:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Harpagophytum zeyheri subsp. sublobatum
Flora of Zambia: Harpagophytum zeyheri subsp. sublobatum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Harpagophytum zeyheri subsp. sublobatum

External websites:

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