Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth.
subsp. africana

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Kigelia africana subsp. africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Fern Valley Dam, Mutare

Kigelia africana subsp. africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Fern Valley Dam, Mutare

Kigelia africana subsp. africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Fern Valley Dam, Mutare

Kigelia africana subsp. africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
Shenstone, Mt Hampden

Kigelia africana subsp. africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
By road from Sinamatella to Robins Camp, Hwange NP

Kigelia africana subsp. africana

Photo: Bart Wursten
By Mazowe River, between camp and weir, Hippo Pools

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

Synonyms: Kigelia pinnata (Jacq.) DC.
Common names: Sausage tree (English)
Frequency: Common
Status: Native
Description:
Medium to large tree. Bark grey, smooth, usually flaking in larger specimens. Leaves opposite, crowded near the ends of branches, imparipinnate with three to 5 pairs of leaflets and a terminal leaflet. Leaflets oblong, leathery with rough hairs on both surfaces; margins entire or with some small teeth, except in very young specimens when margins can be more distinctly and sharply toothed. Flowers large, dark maroon with yellow veining, in pendulous sprays up to 12-flowered. Fruit huge, sausage-shaped, up to 60 cm long and weighing up to 7 kg.
Notes: The flowers open at night, only one at the time, and are short-lived. Once one flower has been pollinated, the other buds in the same inflorescence will usually abort to avoid the simultaneous development of too many of the heavy fruits on the same peduncle.
Derivation of specific name: africana: African
Habitat: In woodland and riverine fringes in low, hot areas.
Altitude range: Up to 1200 m
Flowering time:Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in tropical Africa and Northeast South Africa.
Malawi distribution: N,C,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:

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 877. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 35.

Coates Palgrave, K. et al. (1956). Trees of Central Africa National Publications Trust, Salisbury. Pages 37 - 40. as Kigelia pinnata (Includes a picture).

Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Pages 601 - 603. (Includes a picture).

Diniz, M.A. (1988). Bignoniaceae Flora Zambesiaca 8(3) Pages 83 - 85. (Includes a picture).

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 273.

Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 154. (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 30.

Roodt, V. (1998). Trees and Shrubs of the Okavango Delta Shell Field Guide Series: Part I Shell Oil Botswana, Gaberone. Pages 136 - 138. (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 40.

Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 24. Also as Kigelia pinnata

Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 75. as Kigelia pinnata

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 201.

Other sources of information about Kigelia africana subsp. africana:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Kigelia africana subsp. africana
Flora of Burundi: Kigelia africana subsp. africana
Flora of Caprivi: Kigelia africana subsp. africana
Flora of Mozambique: Kigelia africana subsp. africana
Flora of Zambia: Kigelia africana subsp. africana
Flora of Zimbabwe: Kigelia africana subsp. africana
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Kigelia africana subsp. africana

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Malawi: Species information: Kigelia africana subsp. africana.
https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=152450, retrieved 5 December 2024

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