Petalidium coccineum

Petalidium coccineum is a species of a fast-growing shrub that bears red flowers and smooth, white bark. This shrub may grow up to 2.5 m in height. It is native to northwestern Namibia, particularly the dry savannah of Kaokoveld and Owamboland. Flowers occur in short racemes up to 40 mm long, borne in the leaf axils. Like other species in its genus, Petalidium coccineum bears hygroscopic fruit capsules which, when moist, release two flat seeds explosively.

Petalidium coccineum
In Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Acanthaceae
Genus:	Petalidium
Species:	P. coccineum
Binomial name
Petalidium coccineum S.Moore

Synonyms

• Petalidium rubescens Oberm.
• Pseudobarleria coccinea (S.Moore) Lindau

References

• PlantZAfrica.com entry
• Aluka entry
• Obermeyer, A.A. 1936. The South African species of Petalidium. Annals of the Transvaal Museum 18: 151-162.