Stemodiopsis Engl.

in Annuario Reale Ist. Bot. Roma 7: 25 (1897); Engl. in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 23: 497, pl.7, A F (1897); Skan in Fl. trop. Afr. 4, 2: 314 316 (1906); Hepper in Fl. W. trop. Afr., ed. 2, 2: 357 (1963); Philcox in Fl. Zam. 8, 2: 40 43 (1990); Fischer in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 119, 3: 305 326 (1997); Ghazanfar et al. in Fl. trop. E. Afr. Scrophulariaceae: 38 41 (2008). Type species: Stemodiopsis rivae Engl.

Perennial herbs with woody bases, almost glabrous to densely pubescent; stems deciduous, pendulous to ascending or erect, terete. Leaves simple, usually cauline occasionally initially rosulate, opposite, sessile to long petiolate, linear-filiform, lanceolate to obovate, acuminate to obtuse with pinnate venation and serrate, crenate or entire margins, membranous to leathery, often shiny. In fl orescence axillary, cymose, often reduced to a single flower, sometimes with more than one cyme in each axil, the flowers distinctly pedunculate and pedicellate, the floral stalks curved and reflexed in fruit; bracteoles linear-filiform. Calyx 5-lobed, lobes much longer than tube, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, equal. Corolla white, funnel-shaped, strongly 2-lipped, upper lip bilobed, lower lip trilobed with distinct palate, tube cylindric or gradually widening from base, inner surface of corolla papillosehairy. Stamens 4, didynamous, included, anterior (abaxial) filaments longer and curved or twisted; anthers with two equal thecae, confluent at apex and rounded at base. Ovary conical, elongate, attenuate into slender curved style; stigma bilobed. Capsule septicidal. Seeds numerous, testa with longitudinal ridges, endosperm smooth or ribbed.

A genus of about 10 species restricted to tropical and South Africa.

4.2. Key to the South African species

1a. Stems glabrous or with sparse, minute sessile glands; fruits glabrous...... 1. S. buchananii

1b. Stems pubescent with straight, ornamented eglandular trichomes; fruits pubescent..... 2. S. kamundii