Tabernaemontana elegans Stapf

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Junction of rd 1 and 3, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along Urema river, road no11, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Sune Holt
Vilankulo, Inhambane, Mozambique

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

Synonyms:	Conopharyngia elegans (Stapf) Stapf
Common names:	Toad-tree (English)
Frequency:	Frequent
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or small tree. All parts with milky latex. Bark pale brown, corky, deeply fissured. Leaves opposite, elliptic, leathery, glossy dark green, usually hairless on both surfaces with 12-23 lateral veins on each side of the midrib, straight but curving up near the margin. Flowers in lax corymbs; corolla white, creamy or pale yellow, sweetly scented. Fruits in spreading pairs of obliquely ovoid, beaked pods, each up to 8 cm, glaucous or green, covered in pale brown warts.
Type location:
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	elegans: elegant
Habitat:	In woodland at low altitudes and in riverine situations; also frequent near the coast on dunes
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:	Oct - Feb
Worldwide distribution:	From Somalia to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa
FZ divisions:	N,Z,MS,GI,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:	Wednesday 4 February 2015
Literature:	Bandeira, S., Bolnick, D. & Barbosa, F. (2007). Wild Flowers of Southern Mozambique Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, Maputo, Mozambique Page 115. (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 801. (Includes a picture). *Coates Palgrave, K. et al.* (1956).** Trees of Central Africa National Publications Trust, Salisbury. Pages 17 - 20. Conopharyngia elegans (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. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 269. Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. & Kupicha, F.K. et al. (1985). Apocynaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 439 - 440. 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. Parker, T. (2023). Common Trees of Mozambique The Tree Press, Austin, Texas, USA Pages 50 - 51. (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.

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Flora of Malawi: Tabernaemontana elegans
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African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Tabernaemontana elegans
African Plant Database: Tabernaemontana elegans
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Tabernaemontana elegans
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Tabernaemontana elegans
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Tabernaemontana elegans
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iNaturalist: Tabernaemontana elegans
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Tabernaemontana elegans
JSTOR Plant Science: Tabernaemontana elegans
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Tabernaemontana elegans
Plants of the World Online: Tabernaemontana elegans
Tropicos: Tabernaemontana elegans
Wikipedia: Tabernaemontana elegans