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Lobostemon daltonii
Lobostemon daltonii, the Infanta healthbush, is a species of the forget-me-not family endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. DescriptionThis shrublet grows 30–100 cm (0.98–3.28 ft) tall.[1][2] It has an alternate branching pattern and the herbaceous branches are sparsely hairy. The stalkless leaves are leathery and usually sparsely (rarely very) hairy.[1][2] When sparsely hairy, the hairs are largely confined to the margins, the midvein and the tip of the leaf.[2] They are oval shaped with a narrower end at the base.[1] The sides may curve downwards (particularly in basal leaves) or upwards.[2] Flowers are present between August and November and are borne in cymes, with the young buds arranged in two distinct rows.[1][2] They are blue with conspicuous brown hairs at the tips of the sepals when they are young.[1] The petals are dissimilar in length, with the two anterior lobes being larger than any of the other three petals.[2] The outside of the flower is hairy.[1] The stamens protrude past the petals in adult flowers.[2] The staminal scales are ridge-like.[1] Distribution and habitatThis species is found between Potberg (De Hoop) and Cape Infanta, where it grows on limestone flats.[1] It is known from only four sites.[3] It seems to prefer the loamy soils in the transition zone between Mountain Fynbos and South and South-west Coast Renosterveld.[2] ConservationThis species is classified as endangered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). Despite its already restricted range, the population continues to decline as a result of agricultural expansion, development of holiday homes and the spread of invasive alien acacias.[3] References
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