Mimusops obtusifolia Lam.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Road to Chiniziuwa River, Sofala, Mozambique.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mussambizi Pool, Gorongosa National Park, Muanza

Photo: Bart Wursten
River Above Nharizengere Falls, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:	Mimusops fruticosa A. DC. Mimusops kirkii Baker
Common names:	Round-fruited red milkwood (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or small to medium-sized tree. Bark grey to blackish, very rough and fissured in older specimens. Leaves elliptic to obovate or almost round, 3.5-10 cm long, leathery to almost fleshy, glossy dark green and hairless above, with or without greyish hairs below; apex rounded, often notched. Young leaves and twigs covered in rusty-brown hairs. Flowers in few-flowered axillary clusters, creamy-white, c. 1 cm in diameter, the sepals covered in brownish hairs. Fruit fleshy, subspherical, c. 2.5 cm long, orange-red when ripe.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	obtusifolia: with obtuse or rounded leaves
Habitat:	In costal scrub, riverine thickets, forest, mixed woodland, often on termite mounds.
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Mar - Sep
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
FZ divisions:	N,Z,T,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Friday 3 July 2015
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 741. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 266. As Mimusops fruticosa Kupicha, F.K. (1983). Sapotaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 239 - 240. 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 77. Parker, T. (2023). Common Trees of Mozambique The Tree Press, Austin, Texas, USA Pages 354 - 355. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Mimusops obtusifolia:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Mimusops obtusifolia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Mimusops obtusifolia

External websites:

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