Lobelia deckenii

Taxobox
name = "Lobelia deckenii"


image_width = 250px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Asterales
familia = Lobeliaceae/Campanulaceae
subfamilia = Lobelioideae
genus = "Lobelia"
species = "L. deckenii"
species_authority = Hemsl., 1877 [ [http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=143159-1 International Plant Names Index] ]
binomial = "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.cite journal
last = Young
first = Truman P.
coauthors =
title = The comparative demography of semelparous "Lobelia telekii" and iteroparous "Lobelia keniensis" on Mount Kenya
journal = Journal of Ecology
volume = 72
issue =
pages = 637–650
publisher =
date = 1984
url =
doi =
accessdate =]

"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. 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 KilimanjaroThe Mountain Club of Kenya Guide of Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro, Iain Allan (1981) Mountain Club of Kenya ISBN 978-9966985606] .

"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.cite journal
last = Smith
first = Alan P.
coauthors = Truman P. Young
title = Tropical Alpine Plant Ecology
journal = Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics
volume = 18
issue =
pages = 137–158
publisher =
date = 1987
url =
doi =
accessdate = ]

References