Thunbergia

Genus: Thunbergia

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Lamiales > Family: Acanthaceae

About 100 species, native to Old World, mainly in the tropics. There are 19 species native to southern Africa, and seven cultivated species in the region. Named after Carl Thunberg who was an early botanical explorer to the the Cape.

Species native to southern Africa

List from Plants of Southern Africa - an Online Checklist (SANBI) and Flora of Zimbabwe.

Thunbergia alata (Black-eyed Susan) The native distribution of this climber is from the Eastern Cape (South Africa) through to East Africa and it is usually found growing on forest margins. It is a popular garden plant. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia amoena
Thunbergia annua Recorded from Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia atriplicifolia (Natal Primrose) isiphondo esincane [Zulu] See KwaZulu-Natal Wildflowers by Elsa Pooley p. 306; See Wild Flowers of the Highveld by Braam van Wyk and Sasa Malan p. 34
Thunbergia aurea
Thunbergia crispa Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia dregeana Haarbossie [Afrikaans]; isiphondo [Zulu] See KwaZulu-Natal Wildflowers by Elsa Pooley p. 306 and Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia huillensis Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia lancifolia Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia natalensis (Dwarf Thunbergia, Natal Blue Bell) Dwergthunbergia [Afrikaans]; isiphondo esikhulu, unohlonishwayo [Zulu] See KwaZulu-Natal Wildflowers by Elsa Pooley p. 488; Creative gardening with indigenous plants by Pitta Joffe p. 177 and Flora of Zimbabwe. Link: Thunbergia natalensis (PlantzAfrica.com)
Thunbergia neglecta See KwaZulu-Natal Wildflowers by Elsa Pooley p. 306; See Wild Flowers of the Highveld by Braam van Wyk and Sasa Malan p. 34
Thunbergia petersiana Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia purpurata
Thunbergia reticulata Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia schimbensis Recorded from Zimbabwe. See Flora of Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia subalata Recorded from Zimbabwe.
Thunbergia venosa

Other species, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002).

Thunbergia battiscombei Native to tropical Africa.
Thunbergia erecta Native to tropical Africa.
Thunbergia grandiflora (Bengal clock vine) Native to India.
Thunbergia gregorii Native to tropical Africa.
Thunbergia laurifolia Native to Malaysia.
Thunbergia mellinocaulis Native to tropical Africa.
Thunbergia mysorensis Native to India.

Publications

Retief, E. & Reyneke, W.F. 1984. The genus Thunbergia in southern Africa. Bothalia 15, 1 & 2: 107-116.