Rauvolfia afra Sond.

All images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View selected images

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Bart Wursten
By main Vumba rd

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Bart Wursten
By main Vumba rd

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Rob Burrett
National Botanic Garden, Harare

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Bart Wursten
By road from Swynnerton Memorial to main road, Chirinda Forest

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Along trail above Garuzo hotel, going to the waterfall, Mt Garuzo, Manica

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Toward end of "Picada da dona Candida", Moribane forest

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Toward end of "Picada da dona Candida", Moribane forest

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Toward end of "Picada da dona Candida", Moribane forest

Rauvolfia afra

Drawing: Patricia Bingham

Rauvolfia afra

Drawing: Patricia Bingham

Rauvolfia afra

Drawing: Patricia Bingham

Rauvolfia afra

Katanga Province, DRC;
Nov 2006
Photo: Jos Stevens

Rauvolfia afra

Katanga Province, DRC;
Sept 2007
Photo: Jos Stevens

Rauvolfia afra

Katanga Province, DRC;
Sept 2007
Photo: Jos Stevens

Rauvolfia afra

Katanga Province, DRC;
Sept 2007
Photo: Jos Stevens

Rauvolfia afra

Katanga Province, DRC;
Sept 2007
Photo: Jos Stevens

Rauvolfia afra

Photo: Mark Hyde
Haka Game Park

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Rauvolfia inebrians K. Schum.
Rauvolfia natalensis Sond.
Common names: Quinine tree (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Medium-sized evergreen tree. Leaves in whorls of 3-5, near the ends of branches, lanceolate to oblong, glossy dark green, slightly paler below. Flowers in terminal, branched inflorescences, small, white. Fruit in pendulous clusters, not always paired as often only one carpel develops, green.
Type location:
South Africa
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: afra: African
Habitat: In riverine and evergreen forest.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in tropical Africa from West Africa and Sudan south to South Africa
FZ divisions: N,Z,T,MS,M
Growth form(s): Tree.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species: Daphnis nerii (Larval foodplant)
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Beentje, H. (2021). Apocynaceae, sous-familes I. Apocynoideae et II. Rauvolfioideae Flore d' Afrique Centrale Jardin botanique de Meise Pages 24 - 25. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 73. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 800. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 47. as Rauvolfia caffra

Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 957. as Rauvolfia caffra (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 27. as Rauvolfia caffra

Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 19. as Rauvolfia caffra

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 269. as Rauvolfia caffra

Drummond, R.B. (1981). Common Trees of the Central Watershed Woodlands of Zimbabwe. Natural Resources Board, Harare. Pages 194 - 195. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. & Kupicha, F.K. et al. (1985). Apocynaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 460 - 462. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 19. as Rauvolfia caffra

Meerts, P. & Hasson, M. (2016). Arbres et arbustes du Haut-Katanga Jardin Botanique Meise, Belgique Page 259. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 26. as Rauvolfia caffra

Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 562 - 565. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 23. as Rauvolfia caffra

Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Pages 69 - 70. Rauvolfia inebrians (Includes a picture).

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 44. as Rauvolfia caffra

Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 72. as Rauvolfia caffra

Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 422 - 423. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

Vollesen, K. & Merrett, L. (2019). Field Guide to the (wetter) Zambian Miombo Woodland. Part 2 (Dicots) GVPedia Communications Page 797. as Rauvolfia caffra (Includes a picture).

White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia Oxford Univ. Press. Page 351. as Rauvolfia caffra

White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 142 - 144. as Rauvolfia caffra


Other sources of information about Rauvolfia afra:

Our websites:

Flora of the DRC: Rauvolfia afra
Flora of Malawi: Rauvolfia afra
Flora of Zambia: Rauvolfia afra
Flora of Zimbabwe: Rauvolfia afra
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Rauvolfia afra

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2007-25

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2025). Flora of Mozambique: Species information: Rauvolfia afra.
https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=145100, retrieved 5 July 2025

Site software last modified: 24 June 2025 6:53pm (GMT +2)
Terms of use