Home | > | List of families | > | Malvaceae: Byttnerioideae, Helicteroideae & Sterculioideae | > | Dombeya | > | shupangae |
Synonyms: |
Dombeya spectabilis sensu Sim |
Common names: | Large-leaved wild pear (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | |
Description: |
Small tree. Leaves broadly ovate to sub-circular, up to 20 cm long, leathery, 5-7-veined from the base, occasionally somewhat lobed; margin irregularly toothed in the apical half. Flowers in branched axillary heads, white to pale pink. Fruit a subspherical capsule, surrounded by the dried petals, which act as wings to aid dispersal by wind. |
Notes: | This species appears to be very similar to D. rotundifolia except for its larger leaves. The most important difference concerns the ovary, which is covered in very small, club-shaped papillae and not with hairs (See image 10). This feature can only be seen with a strong lens. |
Derivation of specific name: | shupangae: of Shupanga, a mission on the banks of the lower Zambezi in Mozambique, where the type specimen was collected. |
Habitat: | |
Altitude range: | |
Flowering time: | Aug - Sep |
Worldwide distribution: | Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique. |
Malawi distribution: | N,C |
Growth form(s): | |
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 589. (Includes a picture). Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 20. Seyani, J.H. (1991). The Genus Dombeya (Sterculiaceae) in Continental Africa Opera Bot. Belg. 2 Pages 109 - 111. Wild, H. (1960-1). Sterculiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(2) Pages 519 - 526. (Includes a picture). |
Home | > | List of families | > | Malvaceae: Byttnerioideae, Helicteroideae & Sterculioideae | > | Dombeya | > | shupangae |