Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Family: Gesneriaceae (Gesneriad)

Distribution: Kenya to NE Tanzania

Habitat: Moist areas in forests or forest margins

IUCN Red list: Least concern

Life form: Herbaceous perennial

Usage: Horticultural

Comments: Kew Royal Botanic Gardens Plants of the World Online notes that this species is localised in distribution, but locally frequent to common in suitable habitat within Teita District. It appears from herbarium collections to be scarce elsewhere within its known range. The persistance of forest over 1000 m alt. in the Taita Hills is therefore critical to the conservation of this species, and these forests are heavily exploited. They note that the species is therefore provisionally assessed as Near Threatened (NT), but may qualify as Vulnerable under IUCN criterion A once more complete data on forest loss in Taita becomes available.
Nonetheless the IUCN Red List still categorises this species as Least Concern.
It seems to be relatively rare in cultivation, despite being a tough and attractive plant well suited to pot growing or cascading plantings.