Spirostachys africana
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park
Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park
Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park
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| Synonyms: |
Excoecaria africana (Sond.) Müll. |
| Common names: | n'cuniti (Sena) Tamboti (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Medium-sized deciduous tree with a rounded crown. Bark dark grey to blackish, rough, cracking in rectangular pieces; milky latex present. Leaves spirally arranged, elliptic to ovate, up to 7 cm long, dull green, hairless or slightly hairy; base with 2 small glands at the junction with the petiole; margins shallowly crenate. Flowers unisexual on the same tree, in catkin like spikes, deep red. Fruit 3-lobed, c. 6 × 13 mm, yellowish, dehiscent. |
| Type location: |
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| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | africana: African |
| Habitat: | In deciduous woodland, often along rivers and streams. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1350 m |
| Flowering time: | Sep - Jan |
| Worldwide distribution: | Tanzania, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
| FZ divisions: | N,Z,T,MS,M |
| Growth form(s): | Tree. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Saturday 21 April 2012 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 469. As Spirostachys africanus (Includes a picture). 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 43. Parker, T. (2023). Common Trees of Mozambique The Tree Press, Austin, Texas, USA Pages 154 - 155. (Includes a picture). Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 313 - 315. (Includes a picture). Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 294 - 297. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 58. 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 25. Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 38. |
Other sources of information about Spirostachys africana:
Our websites:
Flora of Botswana: Spirostachys africanaFlora of Zimbabwe: Spirostachys africana
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Spirostachys africanaAfrican Plant Database: Spirostachys africana
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Spirostachys africana
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Spirostachys africana
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Spirostachys africana
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Spirostachys africana
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Spirostachys africana
JSTOR Plant Science: Spirostachys africana
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Spirostachys africana
Plants of the World Online: Spirostachys africana
Tropicos: Spirostachys africana
Wikipedia: Spirostachys africana