Home | > | List of families | > | Rubiaceae | > | Hymenodictyon | > | floribundum |
Synonyms: |
Hymenodictyon kurria Hochst. Kurria floribunda Hochst. & Steud. |
Common names: | Fire bush (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Shrub or small tree to 6 m. Inflorescence long, 6 - 22 cm, with, at the base, a pair of characteristic long-petiolate, leaf-like elliptic-lanceolate bracts, 3.5 - 10 cm long. Stipules often 2-fid. Leaves: lamina 5 - 18 × 2 - 11.5 cm, elliptic to obovate; with venation drying finely reticulate beneath; glabrous above and beneath except for the domatia but, in some forms, hairy to even tomentose beneath; apex shortly acuminate; domatia present. Inflorescence a dense terminal spike. Corolla reddish-brown; tube 4-7 mm; lobes 0.8 mm. Capsule 1 - 1.5 cm long, brown with pale lenticels. Seeds 0.7 - 1 cm, winged. |
Notes: | It owes its common name Fire-bush to the bright red display of the "autumn" leaves. |
Derivation of specific name: | floribundum: with abundant flowers |
Habitat: | In rocky terrain, often as as a constituent of shallow vegetation "islands" overlying sheet rock. Occasionally along the margins of riverine and evergreen forest. |
Altitude range: | 700 - 1900 m |
Flowering time: | Sep - Dec |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread throughout tropical Africa from Guinea to Ethiopia and south to Zimbabwe. |
Malawi distribution: | N,C,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 |
Content last updated: | Friday 5 April 2019 |
Literature: |
Bridson, D.M. & Verdcourt, B. (2003). Rubiaceae, Part 3 Flora Zambesiaca 5(3) Pages 424 - 426. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 242. (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 1018. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 32. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 1036 - 1037. (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 101. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 274. 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 72. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 89. Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 79. As Hymenodictyon kurria (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 163. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 280 - 281. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 330 - 331. (Includes a picture). White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Page 477. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 98. |
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