Erythrophleum africanum (Welw. ex Benth.) Harms

All images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View selected images

Photo: Bart Wursten
By road to Hwange NP, Main Camp.

Photo: Suzanne Carter

Photo: Mike Bingham
Livingstone

Photo: Mike Bingham

Photo: Mike Bingham
Chainda, beyond Kasisi Mission

Photo: Mike Bingham
Trident Project Kalumbila

Photo: Bart Wursten
Bue Maria, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Nhahomba Camp, Chimanimani National Reserve

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

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

Synonyms:	Erythrophleum guineense G. Don Erythrophleum pubistamineum Henn.
Common names:	Ordeal tree (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Medium to large tree. Bark rough and grey to blackish; new shoots and young leaves often tinged mauve. Leaves 2-pinnate with 3-4 pairs of pinnae; leaflets 8-17 per pinna, alternate, elliptic, c. 2.5-5 cm long, finely velvety below particularly when young. Flowers in dense spikes, often clustered to form large heads, cream to yellowish, sweetly scented. Fruit a flat woody pod up to 17 cm long, dehiscent.
Notes:	Listed in Strugnell, 2006: 91 and Topham, 1958: 37 for Malawi but not in Flora Zambesiaca volume 3 part 2, 2007.
Derivation of specific name:	africanum: of Africa
Habitat:	In hot and dry woodland and riverine thickets, on Kalahari sand and other sandy soils.
Altitude range:	250 - 1600 m
Flowering time:	Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa as far as Namibia but apparently absent from Uganda and Kenya.
Malawi distribution:	S
Growth form(s):	Tree.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Brummitt, R.K., Chikuni, A.C., Lock, J.M. & Polhill, R.M. (2007). Leguminosae Subfamily Caesalpinioideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(2) Pages 207 - 209. Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 255. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 25. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 314 - 315. (Includes a picture). Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Pages 198 - 199. (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 60. Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 213. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 242. Mannheimer, C. & Curtis B. (2009). Le Roux and Müller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia Macmillan Education, Windhoek, Namibia. Pages 134 - 135. (Includes a picture). 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 44. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 53. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 66. Setshogo, M.P. & Venter, F. (2003). Trees of Botswana: names and distribution SABONET Report No. 18 Southern African Botanical Diversity Network, Pretoria Page 92. Smith, P. & Allen, Q. (2004). Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Miombo Woodlands Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ISBN 1 84246 073 0 Pages 120 - 121. (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 91. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 209. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 502 - 503. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 598 - 599. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Erythrophleum africanum:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Erythrophleum africanum
Flora of Caprivi: Erythrophleum africanum
Flora of Mozambique: Erythrophleum africanum
Flora of Zambia: Erythrophleum africanum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Erythrophleum africanum

External websites:

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