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Synonyms: |
Diospyros usambarensis F. White subsp. usambarensis |
Common names: | Dye star-apple (English) Sand star-apple (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Shrub or small tree. Bark grey to blackish, rough. Leaves crowded at the ends of branches, obovate to elliptic, 3-11 cm, leathery, glossy green, hairless or with hairs along the veins; margin entire. Flowers axillary in few-flowered clusters, white. Fruit fleshy, spherical, 1.5-2.5 cm in diameter, yellow, cupped in leaf-like lobes, c. 3 cm, often almost totally enclosing the fruit. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | loureiriana: named after J. de Loureiro (1715-1796), Portuguese missionary and scientist, one of the first Europeans to collect plants in Subsaharan Africa. |
Habitat: | On sandy soils in woodland and thickets, on rocky slopes and riverine fringes. |
Altitude range: | |
Flowering time: | Oct-Dec |
Worldwide distribution: | Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, just entering northeastern South Africa |
Malawi distribution: | S |
Growth form(s): | Tree, shrub over 2 m. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 758. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 267. As Diospyros usambarensis usambarensis 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 39. White, F. (1983). Ebenaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 266 - 268. As Diospyros usambarensis usambarensis (Includes a picture). |
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