Maerua brunnescens Wild

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road North of Gorongosa National Park between Mazamba and Casa Banana.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road 1 between junction with 2 and 3, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road North of Gorongosa National Park between Mazamba and Casa Banana.

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Dwarf leatherbean (English)
Frequency:	Local and uncommon.
Status:	Native
Description:	Small shrub up to 2 m tall, hairless except for the sepal-margins; branches brownish, smooth, often erect. Leaves simple, ovate, broadly oblong or broadly elliptic, 2.5–7 cm long, mucronulate at the apex, lateral veins in 5–6 pairs, slightly prominent on both sides; margin cartilaginous, becoming brown when dry; petioles up to 9 mm long. Flowers in terminal or axillary racemes, up to 20 cm long; pedicels 5–6 mm. long; bracts up to 6 mm. long, lower ones leaf-like but smaller. Receptacle 4.5 mm. long, 2.5 mm wide at the mouth, cylindric, widening slightly at the mouth, with c. 12 longitudinal ribs. Sepals narrowly oblong-ovate, c. 8.5 mm long; margin shortly hairy. Petals absent. Stamens c. 70; filaments 1 cm. long; stigma sessile, capitate. Fruit oblong-ovoid, c. 2.8 cm long, slightly verrucose.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	Dry deciduous woodland, often with Acacia species, sometimes on termite mounds.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Jul - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Known only from Mozambique.
Mozambique distribution:	Z,T,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Endemic
Red data list status:	Data deficient
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Monday 28 November 2022
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 157. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 41. Darbyshire, I., Timberlake, J., Osborne, J., Rokni, S., Matimele, H., Langa. C., Datizua, C., de Sousa, C., Alves, T., Massingue, A., Hadj-Hammou, J., Dhanda, S., Shah, T., Wursten, B. (2019). The endemic plants of Mozambique: diversity and conservation status Phytotaxa 136 Page 82. Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Page 228. Wild, H. & Gonçalves, M.L. (1973). 12. Capparaceae Flora de Moçambique Junta de Investigaçoes de Ultramar, Centro de Botanica Pages 39 - 40.

Other sources of information about Maerua brunnescens:

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Maerua brunnescens
African Plant Database: Maerua brunnescens
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Maerua brunnescens
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Maerua brunnescens
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Maerua brunnescens
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Maerua brunnescens
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Maerua brunnescens
JSTOR Plant Science: Maerua brunnescens
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Maerua brunnescens
Plants of the World Online: Maerua brunnescens
Tropicos: Maerua brunnescens
Wikipedia: Maerua brunnescens