Lobelia deckenii

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Lobelia deckenii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Asterales Family: Lobeliaceae/Campanulaceae Subfamily: Lobelioideae Genus: Lobelia Species: L. deckenii Hemsl., 1877 [1]
Binomial name
Lobelia deckenii

Lobelia deckenii is a species of giant lobelia of the mountains of East Africa. It grows in moist areas, such as valley bottoms and moorland, in contrast to Lobelia telekii which grows in a similar, but drier habitat. Lobelia deckenii plants often produce multiple rosettes, and plants with more rosettes flower more frequently. It is iteroparous.^[2]

Lobelia deckenii plants often consist of between one and eighteen rosettes, all connected underground. Individual rosettes grow quickly when conditions are good, and the plant is able to reduce their size or completely prevent them from growing if conditions become less favourable, for example, if an individual rosette is crowded by another on the plant, or if the conditions are too dry.^[2] Individual rosettes die after flowering, but the rest of the plant is not affected.

Lobelia deckenii is the only alpine species of lobelia that lives on Kilimanjaro^[3].

Lobelia deckenii ssp. keniensis is the variety of Lobelia deckenii that lives on Mount Kenya, between 3,300m and 4,600m (10,800 - 15,100ft). Unlike Lobelia telekii it is not eaten by rock hyrax, as they are not often present in the same habitat. Lobelia species on Mount Kenya are all pollinated by birds, especially the Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird and the Alpine Chat.^[4]

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