Melhania randii

Melhania randii is a plant in the mallow family Malvaceae, native to southern Africa. It is named for the English doctor and plant collector R.F. Rand.

Description

Melhania randii grows as a small shrub tall, with several woody stems. The leaves are stellate tomentose and measure up to long. Inflorescences are typically one to three-flowered and feature yellow petals.

Distribution and habitat

Melhania randii is native to Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Its numerous habitats include grassland and mountain summits. The discontinuous nature of the species' distribution has resulted in differences in plants from different colonies, such as Transvaal specimens being generally broader than their Zimbabwe counterparts.