Distribution Map

Mackaya bella

                   
   
Forest Bell bush
River Bells
umzwatsi

Acanthaceae Acanthoideae Justicieae Graptophyllinae

As at April 2024, 9 herbarium specimens, 1 photo record, 25 visual observations

South African Red List status: LC

IUCN Red List: LC (2021)

Global Distribution: Restricted distribution
Other uses

Description (Compton's Flora of Swaziland*):
Mackaya bella - Lax irregularly branched shrub or small tree, up to 3 m high, almost hairless. Leaves opposite, stalk c 5 mm long; blade lance-shaped, tapering to both ends, tip somewhat prolonged, margins somewhat wavy, up to 10 cm long x 3 cm wide. Inflorescence axis often horizontal, bearing few well-spaced flowers facing upwards; flower-stalk c 3 mm long. Calyx c 1 cm long, deeply five-cleft, lobes slender; corolla white, tube with basal cylindrical part c 1,3 cm long, widening rapidly to bell-shaped part c 2,5 cm long, lobes five c 1,5 cm long; stamens two, not protruding, with two-chambered anthers, and two sterile stamens without anthers. Ovary two-chambered with two ovules in each chamber. Fruit on long stalk; seeds rough.

* Where species names have changed, these have been matched according to herbarium specimens quoted in this publication.

Notes:
Global distribution information: southern Africa includes southern Mozambique and southern Zimbabwe.
Restricted distribution has been based on an estimated extent of occurence of less than 100 000 km2 and/or an estimated area of occupancy of 100 km2, based on geo-referenced GBIF and iNaturalist data.