| Hedbergia | |
|---|---|
| |
| HolotypeofHedbergia abyssinica (herbarium specimen). | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Orobanchaceae |
| Tribe: | Rhinantheae |
| Genus: | Hedbergia L. |
| Species: |
H. abyssinica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hedbergia abyssinica (Benth.) Molau | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Hedbergia is a monotypic genus of flowering plants, initially classified in Scrophulariaceae, and now within the broomrape family Orobanchaceae.[2] It contains a unique species, Hedbergia abyssinica.[1] It is an afromontane genus, widespread in grasslands and scrubs of the mountains of tropical Africa, and known from Ethiopia, Zaire, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Nigeria, and Cameroons.[2]
The genus name is a taxonomic patronym honoring the Swedish botanist Karl Olov Hedberg.
Hedbergia abyssinica is a 1–2.5 feet (30–76 cm) high, very hispid perennial plant, with subsessile thick leaves, and densely crowded, white to pink or magenta flowers.[3][2]
The phylogeny of the genera of Rhinantheae has been explored using molecular characters.[4][5] Hedbergia belongs to the core Rhinantheae. Hedbergia is closely related to Odontites, Bellardia, and Tozzia. In turn, these genera share phylogenetic affinities with Euphrasia, and then with Bartsia.
| Genus-level cladogram of tribe Rhinantheae. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| The cladogram has been reconstructed from nuclear and plastid DNA molecular characters (ITS, rps16 intron and trnK region).[4][5] |
| Hedbergia |
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|---|---|
| Hedbergia abyssinica |
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