Isoglossa woodii
Encyclopedia
Isoglossa woodii is commonly known as Buckweed. It is a monocarpic
shrub of the family Acanthaceae
, growing up to 4m tall. It grows in colonies in coastal forest
areas of KwaZulu-Natal
and marginally into the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
.
and Bushbuck
feed on the leaves and shoots. The flowers attract many species of insects, and honey is said to be plentiful in years when these plants flower. Buckweed is excluded from areas of forest with dense tree cover and in turn plays a role in limiting forest regeneration as the tree seedling community beneath Isoglossa woodii shows reduced density and species richness from areas where I. woodii is absent. Butterfly larvae of Protogoniomorpha parhassus
and Celaenorrhinus mokeezi
are known to feed on the leaves of Isoglossa.
(hence woodii). The common name of Buckweed is a reference to these plants being abundant and being browsed by forest antelopes.
Monocarpic
Monocarpic plants are those that flower, set seeds and then die. Other terms with the same meaning are hapaxanth and semelparous. The term was first used by Alphonse de Candolle....
shrub of the family Acanthaceae
Acanthaceae
The family Acanthaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species....
, growing up to 4m tall. It grows in colonies in coastal forest
Forests of KwaZulu-Natal
Areas of forest grow in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa mostly on south facing slopes in higher rainfall areas, and along the humid coastal areas. Different types of forest can be identified by their species composition which depends mostly on the altitude, latitude and substrate in which they grow...
areas of KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
and marginally into the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Description
The stem is often multi-branched and sparsely hairy, with lower stems becoming woody. The leaves are between 75mm and 120 mm long, are soft and often droop during dry conditions. The leaves have a velvety texture due to fine, dense hairs on the surface. These plants have a life cycle of about 7 to 10 years, after which they flower en masse and then die off. The flowers are produced in inflorescences and individual flowers are whitish in colour and about 8mm in length.Ecological Significance
These plants form dense colonies in the understory of forests where they provide food and shelter to many animals. Blue DuikerBlue Duiker
Blue Duiker is a small forest dwelling duiker found in the Central Africa and southern South Africa.Blue Duikers stand around 35 centimetres tall at the shoulder and weigh 4 kilograms.They are the smallest of the antelope family. Blue Duikers have a brown coat with a slight blue tinge – hence...
and Bushbuck
Bushbuck
The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland. Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck, is in fact a complex of two geographically and phenotypically...
feed on the leaves and shoots. The flowers attract many species of insects, and honey is said to be plentiful in years when these plants flower. Buckweed is excluded from areas of forest with dense tree cover and in turn plays a role in limiting forest regeneration as the tree seedling community beneath Isoglossa woodii shows reduced density and species richness from areas where I. woodii is absent. Butterfly larvae of Protogoniomorpha parhassus
Protogoniomorpha parhassus
The Forest Mother-of-Pearl or Common Mother-of-Pearl is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.-Subspecies:*P. p. parhassus Forest Mother-of-pearl from Tropical Africa.*P. p...
and Celaenorrhinus mokeezi
Celaenorrhinus mokeezi
The Large Sprite, Large Flat or Christmas Forester is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from Transkei to KwaZulu-Natal, Transvaal and Mozambique....
are known to feed on the leaves of Isoglossa.
Etymology
This plant was named after John Medley WoodJohn Medley Wood
John Medley Wood 1 December 1827 Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England - 26 August 1915 Durban, was a South African botanist who contributed greatly to the knowledge of Natal ferns, is generally credited with the establishment of sugarcane mosaic virus immune Uba sugar cane in Natal and for his...
(hence woodii). The common name of Buckweed is a reference to these plants being abundant and being browsed by forest antelopes.