Torenia thouarsii (Cham. & Schltdl.) Kuntze

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean, Orinoquia. Elevation range: 200–1400 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Boyacá, Casanare, Cundinamarca, Meta, Nariño, Putumayo.

Habit

Herb.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, artificial - terrestrial.

Scrophulariaceae, S.A. Ghazanfar, F.N. Hepper & D. Philcox. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2008

Type

Lectotype: Madagascar, Thouars (B–W, holo., K!, photo), presumably chosen by W.G. D’Arcy in Ann. Miss. Bot. Gard. 66: 269 (1979)

Morphology General Habit

Slender branched, procumbent or weakly ascending herb, up to 40 cm, rooting at the nodes and sometimes along internodes.

Morphology Stem

Stems quadrangular, glabrous to ± pilose

Morphology Leaves

Leaves lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 10–35 mm long, 7–16 mm broad, rounded at base,  ± acute at apex, margins crenate-serrate, sparsely pubescent, at least on the veins; petioles 4–9 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers axillary, solitary or a few together on a short leafless peduncle; bracteoles at the base of the pedicels linear, 2–5 mm long; pedicels 1.5–3 cm long, usually reflexing in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx slightly winged, at least in fruit, 5–6 mm long in flower, up to 10 mm long in fruit, with 2 short acute teeth on the upper lip and 3 on the lower

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 9–10 mm long, white, variably suffused mauve or deep blue, sometimes with red spots in throat

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule oblong-ellipsoid, shorter than calyx, 7.5–9 mm long, ± 3 mm wide

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pitted

Figures

Fig 22: 1–6, p 64

Ecology

Wet sandy soil, often shady, and by streams or pools; 0–1400 m

Conservation

Least Concern (LC); widespread

Distribution

Range: Throughout much of lowland tropical Africa, Madagascar, Asia and America Flora districts: U1 U2 U3 U4 K3 K7 T1 T3 T4 T6 T7 T 8ZP

Scrophulariaceae, F. N. Hepper. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit

Slender branched procumbent or weakly ascending herb, rooting at nodes and sometimes along internodes

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers mauve or white

Ecology

In moist places.

The Useful Plants of Boyacá project

Morphology General Habit

Herb.

Ecology

Alt. 200 - 1400 m.

Distribution

Naturalised in Colombia.

Conservation

Not Evaluated.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/136664400/136664406

Conservation

LC - least concern

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Naturalizada en Colombia; Alt. 200 - 1400 m.; Amazonia, Andes, Orinoquia.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba

Conservation

No Evaluada

Scrophulariaceae, D. Philcox. Flora Zambesiaca 8:2. 1990

Morphology General Habit

Slender, straggling, procumbent or weakly ascending; stems simple or branched up to 40 cm. or more long, subpilose or often glabrous, quadrangular, sometimes rooting at nodes.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves 12–20(30) x 8–15 mm., broadly lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, shortly patent hirsute, acute or obtuse at apex, rounded, subtruncate or shortly cuneate at base, serrate to serrate-crenate, margin occasionally thickened.

Morphology Leaves Petiole

Petiole 0.5–3 mm. long, hirsute.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers white or pink, through blue to purple or mauve, solitary axillary or more usually 2–6 together, fascicled or on very small leafless branches.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts 1.25–4 mm. long, narrowly linear.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Pedicel

Pedicels 4–22 mm. long, hirsute, somewhat reflexed in fruit.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx 5–6 mm. long, up to 10 mm. long at fruiting, sparingly hirsute to subglabrous, narrowly winged, markedly so at fruiting.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla 10–12 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule 7–9.5 mm. long, 2.5–3.25 mm. in diam., narrowly oblong-ellipsoid.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds pale yellow.

Use

None recorded on specimens from our area

Use Medicines Unspecified Medicinal Disorders

Medicinal (State of the World's Plants 2016).