Synopsis of the genera Nesaea and Ammannia ( Lythraceae ) in southern Africa

The genera N esaea Commers. ex H .B.K. and Ammannia L. in southern Africa, which com prises Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho, were revised. In N esaea , 27 species (seven new), four varieties and one new form were recognized. Ammannia was revised using the DECO RANA computer program, and four species were recognized. Keys to the taxa are presented, as well as synonymy (restricted to the region), diagnoses and descriptions o f new taxa, and notes on distribution, taxonomy and nomenclature. The following taxa are new: Nesaea alata Immelman, N. angustifolia Immelman. N. cym osa Immelman, N. m in im a Immelman. N. sagittifolia (Sond.) Koehne var. ericiformis Koehne forma sw aziensis Immelman. N. saluta Immelman, N. wardii Immelman and N. zam batidis Immelman.

This synopsis of Nesaea and Ammannia in southern Africa was written during the preparation of an account of the Lythraceae for the Flora o f southern Africa (FSA).A combined key to the taxa of the two genera in the area is provided.Synonomy is restricted to those names based on southern African material, or names which have been used by various authors within the area.Distribution and habitat are recorded.Notes on taxonomy, nomenclature and typification are provided in some cases.Eight new taxa are described.
The first person to give a monographic account of Nesaea was Koehne (1882Koehne ( , 1903)), who dealt with the whole of the Lythraceae.He described a number of new species and transferred many more from the 'holdall' genus Ammannia.The two genera were distinguished for the first time on the basis of capsule dehiscence (see key to genera below).Koehne divided Nesaea into five sections and a number of subsections and series.
Nesaea is a widespread genus of 5 0 -7 0 species, most of which occur in Africa and Madagascar with a few species in tropical Asia, Australia, North and Central America.Twenty-seven species, four varieties and one form are recorded from the Flora o f southern Africa region.These are all erect to prostrate herbs or small shrubs occurring either on temporarily or permanently damp open soil, or occasionally submerged.
Four of Koehne's five sections are represented in southern Africa, only the monospecific sect.Crinipedium being absent.Only a few species and infraspecific taxa are endemic to southern Africa, however, with the majority of species being recorded from the northern part of the region, and clearly tropical African in origin.The genus is not represented in the winter rainfall region of southern Africa.
In contrast to Ammannia (see below), the boundaries of species of Nesaea are distinct, and it is my opinion that there is little, if any, hybridisation in the southern African species of the genus.Dimorphic flowers occur in the closely related species N. rigidula (Sond.)Koehne and N. alata Immelman.Trimorphic flowers are encountered in N. sagittifolia (Sond.)Koehne and N. schinzii Koehne, also closely related to each other (Koehne 1882(Koehne , 1903)).
Table 1 and Figure 1 illustrate the relative lengths of the style and stamen filaments in pin and thrum flowers of the above species (excluding N. alata).There are twice as many stamens as calyx lobes in these species, the filaments occurring in two different lengths.The length of the capitate stigma is not included in the measurements of style length.predominantly autogamous (rarely cleistogamous), but with at least a low level of outcrossing.Species do apparently sometimes hybridise, and a well-established American taxon is probably of hybrid origin, indicating that some species are not exclusively autogamous.Graham also points out that some species have large brightlycoloured petals and basal nectaries, which would not be expected in an entirely self-fertile species.
A few species of Nesaea are very similar to Ammannia, and these add to the difficulties of determination.With some specimens it may not be possible to establish the type of capsule dehiscence.The species of the two genera are therefore treated in a combined key.

M ET H O D S
The genus was first described by Linnaeus (1753), who placed three species in Ammannia, one of which, A. baccifera L ., is included here.The genus was much confused with the subsequently described genera Rotala and Nesaea.Their boundaries were first clarified by Koehne (1880) using characters of capsule dehiscence.
Subsequent treatments of Ammannia, as in Nesaea, have dealt with specific aspects of the genus, or with the genus in a restricted region.Fernandes (1978) recognized five species and two subspecies in the Flora zambesiaca area.Graham (1985) revised the five species occurring in the western hemisphere, of which two also occur in our area.She also provided a summary of the biology of the genus.Ammannia comprises ± 25 species, widespread in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions, with 16 species recorded from Africa.Four species occur in the Flora o f southern Africa region, all herbaceous and all growing in standing water or marshy areas in the summer rainfall areas.One has been recorded as a weed in rice paddies, but does not appear to be a serious problem in our region.
None of the species of Ammannia is endemic to the southern African region, and all are primarily tropical African (or even more widespread), extending into southern Africa at their southern limits only.
Di-or tri-stylous flowers such as seen in a few species of Nesaea, do not occur in Ammannia.The pollen of Am m annia, as in N esaea, is prolate and tricolpate, with six well-defined pseudocolpi (Panigrahi 1979).
Despite the revisions mentioned above of some species of Ammannia, many specimens cannot be identified, and appear to be intermediate between the accepted species.Although some characters, e.g.style length, peduncle length and petals, seem to have parallel variation, they occasionally vary in different combinations.These exceptional specimens have made it difficult to decide where to draw the boundaries between taxa, as the position of the boundary may differ according to which characters are used as diagnostic.
Possible reasons for the great variability in Ammannia are that the species are autogamous, or that they may hybridise.According to Graham (1985)   distinguish taxa, but in Ammannia no clear pattern emerged.A computer program package was therefore used.
A suitable computerised method of analysing the variablity encountered is the PHYTOTAB package, which includes DECORANA (detrended correspondence analysis).These programs were written by Westfall & Dednam (PHYTOTAB) and Hill (DECORANA) to ordinate and determine discontinuities in ecological data, thus de termining community limits (Hill 1979).It was thought that DECORANA could be equally useful in helping to eluci date species limits in taxonomy.
Fifty-two specimens from PRE and WIND of the southern African Ammannia species were examined and scored for eight important characters.Characters used were those chosen by previous workers as useful in keys, i.e. shape of leaf base, peduncle and pedicel length, presence or absence of petals, length of the calyx, stamen filaments and style, and the presence or absence of calyx appendages.Before being included in the data set.the character states were aggregated into classes.
DECORANA was then used to group the specimens according to their overall similarity.This resulted in four sets of eigenvalues, of which the first two sets (Table 2) were used as the X and Y axes of a scatter plot (Figure 2).Five of the eight characters used were then individually superimposed on the common scatter plot to make a set of pictorialised scatter plots (Figures 3 -7 ).

RESULTS
Twenty-seven species, four varieties and one form were distinguished in Nesaea.
In Ammannia, on the basis of results obtained from DECORANA alone, there are two distinct groups present, each of which can be divided into two further, if less clearcut, groups.
When the basic scatter plot was used as the basis for drawing up pictorialised scatter plots, i.e. using overall similarity of specimens combined with single characters, the boundaries between the four possible taxa becamfe far clearer.The scatter plots which most clearly showed these boundaries proved to be those where petals (absent, small or large), style length, peduncle length, leaf bases and calyx appendages (absent, minute or clearly defined) were used.This technique also showed up a few specimens which did not fit into any group, emphasizing the variability of the taxa.Much of the confusion surrounding species delimitation probably arises from the description of intermediate specimens as formal, named taxa.
The four taxa are here recognized at species rather than subspecific rank.Synonymy is restricted to those names based on southern African material, and names which have been used by various authors within the area.Notes are provided where necessary, and distribution and habitat described.A m m annia L., Species plantarum 1: 119 (1753).Type species: Ammannia latifolia L. (fide Britton & Brown: 577 (1913)).

Key to the genera
Annual (possibly short-lived perennial) herbs.Leaves opposite-decussate, sessile, entire.Inflorescence pedun culate or sessile, lax or condensed dichasial cymes of (l)3-num erous flowers; bracts 2 below each flower, small, subulate.Flowers 4(-5 )-m ero u s, never heterostylous.Calyx tube broadly to narrowly campanulate, becoming globose in fruit, usually 4-lobed.lobes alternating with conical appendages or appendages absent, appendages very short to nearly as long as lobes.Petals 1 -4 or absent, caducous.Stamens (2 -)4( -8), inserted on calyx tube, included or exserted, subequal.Ovary incompletely 2-4(5)-locular, sometimes unilocular, upper portion of septa incomplete; style absent to 1.5 mm long.Capsule globose or ellipsoid, dehiscing irregularly; seeds numerous and small, concave-convex, often with a float of thin-walled cells on the concave side, often with hairs on the convex side and margin which evaginate in moisture.The species occurs in N Namibia, NE Botswana, the E. central and S Transvaal, the Orange Free State and the N Cape.It was also seen by the author from Burundi.Tanzania.Kenya.Zimbabwe and Angola.Other authors have recorded it from Africa both south and north of the Sahara, possibly Madagascar.Mauritius, the Middle East, India and Ceylon, Java, the Phillipines, Russia, China.Japan and Australia (Koehne 1880).It has been recorded from Italy, Guadaloupe and Jamaica as an adventive (Graham 1985).The species is found growing in moist soil near water bodies, or in water.
The iconotype of Ammannia aegyptiaca is poor, but shows the relevant features.Leaf bases are attenuate, the flowers are ± sessile, there are no petals, small calyx appendages appear to be present, and the stigma is subsessile.In the description these characters are repeated, and the description of the calyx appears, with some difficulty in the interpretation, to indicate the presence of appendages.
The species occurs in N Namibia and N Botswana, the N and E Transvaal.Swaziland and N Natal.It was also seen by the author from Tanzania.Zambia, Zimbabwe and Angola: it is recorded by other authors from Egypt (Koehne 1880), and from West Africa and the Sudan (Keay 1954).It occurs in or near water.
The primary peduncles of the type specimen are short and the calyx appendages present, but styles are not visible in the photograph.The styles are sessile according to Koehne (1880) and in the illustration in Koehne (1903).According to Graham. A. senegalensis is a synonym of A. auriculata, but she has also seen only a photograph of the type.The species occurs in E and central Transvaal, and Natal.It was seen by the author from Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique, and is also recorded from West Africa (Koehne 1880; Keay 1954).The species grows near or in water.
The type of the species has styles 0.94-1.1 mm long.
The type of A. pusilla is given in Graham (1985) as 'Senegal or Nigeria, swampy places near Sand-rivier, Zeyher 541 (B t).'However, 'Senegal or Nigeria* is not in the original citation in Sonder.and his article is titled (in German) 'Additions to the flora of South Africa'.Zeyher did not collect in Senegal or Nigeria, and the specimen is certainly from a South African locality.The specimen has peduncles ± 2 mm long, the calyx 1,5 mm long with small but well-defined appendages, there are no petals and the style is ± 1 mm long.The species occurs in N Namibia, N Botswana and the E Transvaal.It was also seen by the author from Burundi, the Congo, Tanzania, Zambia.Zimbabwe.Mozambique and Angola.Other authors record it from West Africa (Keay 1954), the Middle East.India.China and Australia and as introduced in Central and North America and the Caribbean, and possibly also in South America (Graham 1985).It is found growing in vleis.moist places in grassveld, near waterfalls, etc.This species may be confused with Nesaea saluta.but can be differentiated by a number of characters.The peduncles are (3 -)6-14 mm long, and also have a tendency to curve upwards, especially the older ones, while those of the Nesaea are up to 6 mm long (but usually much shorter) and quite straight.The calyx and style are more than I mm long and large pink petals are present.This species, according to Graham (1985), is one of the most important weeds of rice in India, and is controlled by raising the water level high enough to prevent it from establishing itself.It has been introduced into the New World, where the earliest record was in the 1930's from Guadaloupe.It has since been found in Jamaica, but appears to be of limited distribution.
The numerous varieties and forms of this species which w ere d escrib ed by Koehne, G raham co n sid ers meaningless, as the species is known to be highly variable.
Annual or perennial herbs, shrublets, rarely shrubs.Leaves opposite, ± decussate, rarely ternate or alternate (spiral), sessile or shortly petiolate, entire.Inflorescence basically a cyme, this variously condensed, reduced or aggregated, often capituliform and subtended by large bracts at base, sometimes flowers solitary.Flowers bisexual, sometimes distylous or tristylous.usually 4-, 5-, or 6-merous (in FSA species), bibracteolate.Calyx tube variously-shaped, lobed.lobes alternating with conical calyx appendages, these may be absent or up to as long as lobes.Petals 0 or as many as calyx lobes, caducous.Stamens 4 -1 2 (in FSA species), inserted on calyx tube, in 1 -2 series, subequal or long and short stamens alter nating.included or exserted.Ovary sessile, 2 -5 -lo cu lar; style nearly absent to much longer than calyx.Capsule globose to ellipsoid, opening by an apical operculum, lower part dehiscing irregularly later; seeds numerous, small, concave-convex, without inflating wing.The species occurs in Namibia (Caprivi) and N Botswana (Okavango Swamps).It has also been seen by the author from Portuguese Guinea, and recorded by others from Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique (Fernandes 1970(Fernandes . 1978) ) and West Africa, Zanzibar and Madagascar (Keay 1954).It grows in standing or running water.
Two varieties are recognized: The iconotype of the species is very poor but, together 2.2a N. ondongana subsp.ondongana var.ondonwith the description, can be interpreted as follows: leaves gana.with bases aurieulate-cordate, inflorescences with 3( -5) flowers on primary peduncles ± 5 mm long, calyx without The typical variety has been seen from the Kaokoveld appendages (this is not certain), petals present, style and on the banks of the Kunene River (N Namibia).It shorter than stamens.
has been seen by the author from Zimbabwe, and is also recorded by other authors from Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique (Fernandes 1978).It grows in damp places in sand or in pans.
The species is very similar to Ammannia baccifera but the capsule is definitely that of a Nesaea.
The variety has been seen from Namibia (Caprivi), Botswana and Swaziland.It has also been seen by the author from Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi.It grows on the edge of water bodies, dried-up pans and seasonal floodplains; it may be partially submerged in still shallow water, or mat-forming.

Ammannia aspera Guill. & Perr.: 304 (1833); Hiern; 480 (1871).
The species occurs in central and N Namibia, Botswana and N Natal.It has been seen by the author from Mozam bique, and has also been recorded from Angola, Zimbabwe and tropical Africa generally (Keay 1954;Fernandes 1978).It grows near pans and springs.
The type has not been seen, but our material matches the type description well.
The species is found in the N Cape and E Transvaal, in moist sand or on rock sheets by water.Robust decumbent herb, probably annual, glabrous, unbranched; stems rooting at nodes, ± 0,35 m high, 4-angled and strongly 4-winged, up to 3,5 mm in diameter.
Two specimens have been seen, both collected from Zululand.and growing on the edge of a pan.This Zululand species is named after Mr C.J. Ward, in recognition of his years of work and extensive collecting in that region.
Within the FSA area there are a few records from NW Namibia.The species has also been seen by the author from Angola.It grows in marshy areas.
Although the type has not been seen, the PRE material has been compared with a specimen from K (Pearson 2542) authenticated by Fernandes.It also keys to this species in Fernandes (1970).
2.7 N. anagalloides (Sond.)Koehne in Botanische Jahrbucher 3 : 327 (1882); Koehne: 228 (1903); Burtt Davy: 199 (1926).Type: Rhinosterkop.marshy places by Vaal River.May, Zexher 541 (SAM.lecto.!. here designated).The species has been recorded from scattered localities in the Transvaal and N Cape, growing in rock pools, moist areas and pans in grassveld.and on the margins of streams.Koehne (1882)  The name N. loandensis is used by Pohnert & Roessler (1966) tor the material in Namibia, and a single voucher is cited.A duplicate of this voucher specimen is in PRE. and agrees well w ith my concept of N. anagalloides.None of the material seen by me from southern African herbaria, and identified as 'N.loandensis'.matches the type (BM!). which is a soft herb with terete, prostrate stems and short included styles.

Ammannia anagalloides
Our material rather matches N. anagalloides as described by Koehne, except in having the bracts shorter, not as long as the pedicels.The lectotype in SAM.how ever.has short bracts, so that this character is presumably variable in the species.

Ammannia sarcophylla Hiern: 479 (1871).
N. sarcophylla has been recorded twice from north and central Namibia, as well as from Angola (see type) and Mozambique.It grows in wet areas in riverbeds.
One specimen was seen from the Caprivi (Namibia).The species is also recorded from Zambia (Fernandes 1978).Ii is found growing in vleis.This is the only species ot Nesaea in the region which regularly has 5-partite (lowers.This is the variety commonly encountered in the Flora area, having been recorded from N Namibia, N and SE Botswana.Transvaal.Swaziland.Natal and E Cape.It has been seen by the author from Mozambique and Tanzania, and is also recorded from Zambia, Malawi and Zanzibar (Fernandes 1970(Fernandes . 1978)).It grows in moist ground near dams, vleis and streams, often among boulders or low vegetation.
N. cordata occurs in the northern half of Namibia.SE Botswana.Transvaal and Swaziland.It has also been seen from Mozambique.Zimbabwe.Tanzania, Nigeria and Ghana by the author, and by other authors from Angola.Zambia and Malawi (Fernandes 1970(Fernandes . 1978) and from West Africa (Keay 1954).It grows in seepage areas, pans and by streams or springs, usually in grassveld on their banks but occasionally submerged in shallow standing or slow-11 ow ing water.
The species is recorded from the E Transvaal lowveld and central Transvaal, growing in moist places in bushveld.Annual herb, glabrous, unbranched; stems very slender, almost filamentous, 0,015 m high, less than 0,5 mm in diameter.Leaves in 1 or 2 pairs per plant, glabrous, elliptic to ovate-oblong, 4 x 1 mm long, base cuneate, apex obtuse.Inflorescence of solitary terminal flowers, primary peduncles very short, pedicels ± 0,5 mm long.Bracts glabrous except for a few papillae along margin, broadly lanceolate to ovate, longer than calyx, ±2x1 mm long, with a solid keel but not folded along midline, apex obtuse.Calyx 4-lobed, glabrous except for a few hairs on appendages, broadly campanulate (only specimens in fruit seen), ± 1,5 mm long; with well-defined conical appendages, 0 ,3 -0 ,4 mm long.Petals absent.Stamens 4, included, attached near base of tube, ± 1,5 mm long.Style not seen.Seeds produced in bud (flowers cleistogamous?), with evaginating hairs.
There is only a single record of this distinctive species, from N Botswana, growing in the moist grassveld of a floodplain.Within the FSA area there is one record from the Ruacana Falls (Namibia), and one from the Transvaal (type specimen).The Namibian specimen was growing on a wet boulder near the falls.
Recorded from the SE Transvaal, Natal and E Cape, as well as from Mozambique (Fernandes 1978).It grows in wet places, often in sandy soil or on rock sheets.
The species is most similar to N. rigidula, but differs in having flowers pink to purple, the inflorescence subsessile and the styles shorter.
Two specimens have been seen, one from the Transvaal lowveld and one from Swaziland, in or next to still water.

SWAZILAND -2631 (Mbabane): Lubombo Mountains, 17 km N of Siteki on road to Mhlumbe, between Farms Groenpan and Cyrildene. in shallow pool in semi-shade. 500 m. 8-5-1976 ( -B D ) , C u l\en \ell 59 (PRE)
The opening mechanism of the capsule was examined and is definitely that of a Nesaea.
It has a thick woody taproot and probably produces annual deciduous shoots.
The subspecies occurs in N Namibia and N Botswana, central and E Transvaal, and Swaziland.It has been seen by the author from Zimbabwe and Tanzania, and it has also been recorded from Zambia and Malawi (Fernandes 1978).It occurs in or near water.Superficially this species is very similar to Nesaea saluta.but it can be distinguished by the longer styles and the well-defined calyx appendages.
The styles of the type specimen of N. dinteri subsp.elata are 2 .2-2 .6 mm long, the calyx 1.85 mm. and the four stamen filaments are ± 2 .4 mm long and opposite the calyx lobes.N. transvaalica.on the other hand, has the calyx 1.6 mm long, with large appendages and well-defined asperous ribs and large, bright pink petals.The stamens are 1.85 mm long and opposite the calyx lobes, and the style is 1.25-1.6mm long.The specimen is a small unbranched asperous herb.Except for the small size and short styles, this specimen is typical of N. dinteri: it is probably either very young or depauperate.N. woodii occurs in N Natal; it has also been seen from Zimbabwe.It grows in moist sand on pan margins, stream banks and sand dunes.
The species is closely related to N. schinzii.but differs in having homomorphic flowers with 4 included stamens, consistently shorter styles, and often longer and broader bracts.

2.23
N. luederitzii Koehne in Verhandlungen des Botanischen Vereins der Provinz Brandenburg 30: 251 (1888); Koehne: 238 (1903); Pohnert & Roessler: 6 (1966).Type: Namibia, Damaraland, Ganahomtes, Tsoa Xaubthal, 26-9-1885, Schenk 420 (Z!).The variety is scattered throughout Namibia, and is probably the most common species there, if herbarium records are taken as representative.It is found growing in dry riverbeds and on streambanks./V.luederitzii is closely related to N. schinzii, from which it can be distinguished by the characters given in the key.Sterile plants can often be distinguished from that species by the yellowish stems and exfoliating bark at the base of older stems of N. luederitzii.N. schinzii is rare in Namibia.
From the type description I consider N. straminea a synonym of N. luederitzii var.luederitzii.It is so treated by Pohnert & Roessler (1966).
Specimens have been seen from the N and E Transvaal, and Swaziland; the species was also seen from Zimbabwe.It has been recorded as growing in standing water of rock pools and seasonal pans.The capsules are typical of Nesaea, though in many respects the species resembles Ammannia baccifera or A. senegalensis.It can be distinguished from these, however, by the longer styles, the presence of pink petals and the 8. not 4 stamens.
The species is named after Mr N Zambatis who has done much collecting in the Transvaal Lowveld.including one of the quoted specimens of this new species.

2.25
N. schinzii Koehne in Verhandlungen des Botanischen Vereins der Provinz Brandenburg 30: 250 (1888); Koehne: 239 (1903); Pohnert & Roessler: 7 (1966);Fernandes: 186 (1970);Fernandes: 292 (1978).Type: Cape Province, L'pington, Oshando, March 1886, Schinz 517 (BOL!).The species has a stout woody taproot that produces annual shoots, and which probably enables the plants to survive grass fires.N. schinzii may be confused with N. luederitzii in the Namibian region.It is, however, rather rare in Namibia and can be distinguished by the trimorphic flowers.Also the styles of the long-styled (pin) flowers are shorter than the styles of flowers of N. luederitzii.and proportions of the short to the long stamens in one flower are different (see key to species).
N. schinzii may also sometimes be confused with N. sagittifolia as these two species are closely related, and their distributions overlap in the Transvaal and OFS.The following distinguishing characters are considered most reliable and easy to use: :Y.sagittifolia

Leaves with sagittate clasping bases except in var. erici form is
A scrap of the type specimen of N. kuntzei is in PRE.The only significant difference seen between it and specimens of N. schinzii with mid-styled flowers is the four rather than eight stamens; this is also the only difference given by Koehne (1903) in his key.All other differences seen are differences only of size.I consider it to be very probably a depauperate specimen of N. schinzii with mid-styled flowers.The reduction in number of stamens may also be due to the depauperate state.The gynoecium is definitely that of a Nesaea.N. rivulare also had four stameps in Koehne s account: otherwise there seems to be no fundamental difference between it and N. schinzii.According to Koehne it is differentiated from N. woodii by the much longer leaves.
The type of Nesaea schinzii var.fleckii was not seen, but on the basis of the description I consider it a synonym of N. schinzii.This attractive species appears to be endemic to the eastern part of South Africa.Two varieties and two forms are recognized: The typical variety occurs in the Transvaal, Natal and E OFS.It is found growing in damp open grassveld.
Like N. schinzii.it has a stout woody taproot which produces annual shoots, and which is important in enabling the plants to survive grass fires.
Koehne described a number of varieties of N. sagitti folia.but I have maintained only var.ericiformis.The calyx of the type specimen of N. sagittifolia var.glabrescens is ± 3 mm long.Although the leaves are clear ly of the sagittifolia type, on the young stems they are spreading and not at all imbricate, and are often flat with less deeply sagittate bases, as is found in var.ericiformis.However, the large calyces as well as the distribution, dis tinguish it from that variety.
Var. ericiformis occurs in two separate areas: Swaziland, with one record from Barberton: and E Griqualand, Transkei and the E Cape, w ith one record from the Natal midlands (the type specimen).
The populations from these areas are morphologically partly distinct, though the distinction between the two forms is not clearcut.The type of the variety, for instance, matches some aspects of each.Differences can be seen in the leaves, primary peduncles and pedicels.Neither of these forms can be hybrids of N. sagittifolia with N. schinzii.though they do resemble the latter species in many

Stems quadrangular
Leaves usually opposite, som e times spiral

Leaves shortly petiolate. spreading
Leaves with base hastate to cuneate.not clasping stem respects, as N. schinzii does not occur in these areas.The typical variety also is absent from these areas, with the exception of Barberton.
Occurs in E Cape.E Griqualand, Natal and the Transkei.It grows in damp places in the mountains.
The species is distributed from central to N Namibia, Botswana, N Transvaal and N Cape.It has been seen by the author from Zimbabwe and is also recorded from Mozambique (Fernandes 1978).It grows near water, on dam margins and moist areas in grassveld.