Rhizophora mucronata Lam.

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Photo: Warren McCleland
Govuro Estuary, North of Inhassoro

Photo: Sune Holt
Vilankulo, Inhambane, Mozambique

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Synonyms:
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or tree with numerous branching stilt roots; branches with elliptic to round scars of fallen leaves and stipules. Leaves opposite,crowded at the ends of branches, elliptic to obovate-elliptic, usually 7-15 cm long, yellowish-green when young, darker green when older, cork-dotted beneath, distinctly mucronate at the tip with a mucro up to 8 mm long; midrib very prominent beneath; petiole usually 2-3 cm long. Flowers in short axillary clusters, fleshy, cream or yellowish-white with whitish woolly hairs on the petal margins. Fruit pear-shaped, 3-4 cm long, one-seeded, germinating while still on the tree with a spike-like rootlet up to 45 cm long.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	mucronata: with a mucro (mucronate), referring to the sharp tip at the apex of the leaf.
Habitat:	Along intertidal mudflats of sheltered shores, estuaries and inlets, usually on the seaward side of mangrove swamps.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Common along the coasts on the eastern side of Africa from the Red Sea to Eastern Cape, South Africa. Elsewhere along the western shores of the Pacific Ocean, northern coast of Australia, Polynesia and the indian Ocean.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,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
Content last updated:	Wednesday 31 August 2016
Literature:	Beentje, H. & Bandeira, S. (2007). Field Guide to the Mangrove trees of Africa and Madagascar Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK ISBN 978-184246-135-8 Pages 64 - 65. (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 663. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 784 - 785. Gonçalves, A.E. & Torre, A.R. (1979). 62. Rhizophoraceae Flora de Moçambique Junta de Investigaçoes de Ultramar, Centro de Botanica Pages 17 - 19. Lewis, J. (1956). Rhizophoraceae Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 2 - 3. (Includes a picture). Torre, A. & Gonçalves, M. L. (1978). Rhizophoraceae Flora Zambesiaca 4 Pages 83 - 84. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 278 - 279. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Rhizophora mucronata:

External websites:

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