Hygrophila auriculata (Schumach.) Heine

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road no4, Gorongosa National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park;
Apr 2009
Photo: Mike Bingham

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lake Urema Floodplain Edge, Gorongosa National Park

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Barleria auriculata Schumach. Hygrophila schulli (Buch.-Ham.) M.R. Almeida & S.M. Almeida Hygrophila spinosa T. Anderson
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Robust erect annual herb, up to 1 m tall. Stems sparsely branched, 4-angled. Leaves subsessile, linear-lanceolate, up to 15 cm long. Flowers in axillary clusters with up to 6 straight spines among the bracts, up to 4 cm long. Corolla 2-lipped, pale blue to mauve with orange-brown raised markings in the white to yellowish centre of the lower lip.
Type location:	India
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	In alluvial soils in seasonally wet areas near vleis, swamps and floodplains.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Jun - Aug
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa and India
Provinces:
Growth form(s):	Annual.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 193. (Includes a picture). Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 136 - 137. (Includes a picture). Champluvier, D. (1985). Acanthaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume III Pages 456 - 457. (Includes a picture). 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 19. Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22 SANBI, Pretoria Page 23. 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 14. Meerts, P. et al. (2026). A checklist of the vascular plants of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. PhytoKeys 277 Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 40. as Hygrophila schulli Vollesen, K. (2013). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 8(5) Pages 118 - 120. as Hygrophila schulli (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Hygrophila auriculata:

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Flora of Burundi: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of the DRC: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Kenya: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Malawi: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Mozambique: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Rwanda: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Tanzania: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Uganda: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Zambia: Hygrophila auriculata
Flora of Zimbabwe: Hygrophila auriculata

External websites:

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