S. ionantha has violet-blue flowers and quilted , dark green leaves with a serrated edge. This is the species from which almost all of today's cultivars have descended. First recorded discovery in the Usambara Mountains . One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia . Compact trailer with round, slightly spooned leaves.
Flowers are blue with a darker blue center.
S. magungensis no longer grows wildly in Africa, though some still remain in cultivation. One of the 20 confirmed species of Saintpaulia . Grows upright and may be single-crowned or a trailer . S. nitida has small, dark blue flowers and smooth, dark green leaves. First recorded discovery in the Ulugura Mountains of eastern Tanzania.