About Sparrmannia africana L.fil.
Sparrmannia africana, commonly called African hemp or African linden, is a species of flowering plant in the mallow family Malvaceae. It is native to open woodland in South Africa and Madagascar, and is one of up to seven recognized species in the genus Sparrmannia. The genus is named in honor of Anders Sparrman.
S. africana is an evergreen shrub or small tree that grows 3–6 m (10–20 ft) tall and 2–4 m (7–13 ft) broad. It bears large pale green leaves that reach 21 cm (8 in) long, and clusters of white flowers with red and yellow stamens. This species is not closely related to true hemp (Cannabis).
Species in the genus Sparrmannia are characterized by haptonasty: their stamens make rapid movements when touched, an adaptation that improves pollination effectiveness. Because it requires a minimum temperature of 7 °C (45 °F), S. africana is grown as a houseplant in temperate climates. It has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. In the past, the name Sparmannia acerifolia hort. ex Steud. – which contains a misspelled generic name, making it an orthographic variant – was used for this species.
