▲ Ballyanthus prognathus ▼ Ballyanthus prognathus

Ballyanthus prognathus

Photo by Loukie Viljoen

Ballyanthus prognathus (P. R. O. Bally) Bruyns in Aloe 37 (4): 76.

Basionim:

Stapelia prognatha

P. R. O. Bally in Candollea 18: 339.

Etymology: pro (Lat.) - in front of, gnathos (Gr.) - jawed; having protrusive jaws.

Distribution: Somaliland - Somalia (Saaxil, Saarar, Oodweyne).

Distribution map of Ballyanthus prognathus (my own records, Bruyns 2002a)

History: Dr. Philip Glover collected the plant in 1945 in Juniperus forest at 'Gaan Libah in Somalia and passed it on to Peter Bally who described it as Stapelia prognatha (1962). Larry Leach transfered it to the genus Orbea (1975) and Peter Bruyns to new genus Ballyanthus (2001).

Darrel Plowes separeted plants with larger and pale greyish-purple flowers from B. prognathus to a new taxa B. major (Plowes 2013e).