Clutia swynnertonii S. Moore

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Plateau below Nhandore peak, Mt Gorongosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
Path close to Morumbodzi Falls, lower slopes Mt Gorongosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
At Parking area by path to Mtarazi Falls, Nyanga

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mt Gorongosa.

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Swynnerton's lightning-bush (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Much-branched shrub, up to c. 4 m. Leaves elliptic-(ob)lanceolate, up to 11 × 4.5 cm, dull green to bluish-green above, paler below, densely hairy on both surfaces, particularly when young; margin entire. Flowers in axillary clusters, yellowish, unisexual on different plants. Fruit round, c. 5 mm in diameter, pale green, pubescent.
Notes:	This species is generally similar to Clutia hirsuta, which is a sparsely branched perennial herb, up to c. 1 m tall and never reaches shrub-like proportions.
Derivation of specific name:	swynnertonii: named after Charles Francis Massey Swynnerton (1877-1938), well-known naturalist, who first recorded and collected many species of flora and fauna in and around the Chirinda Forest
Habitat:	In sub-montane grassland, high rainfall woodland and forest margins, often in ericoid scrub.
Altitude range:	370 - 2130 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe.
Mozambique distribution:	MS
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Wednesday 25 May 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 436. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 14. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 253. 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 41. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Page 131. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 86. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 97.

Other sources of information about Clutia swynnertonii:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Clutia swynnertonii
Flora of Zimbabwe: Clutia swynnertonii

External websites:

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