Macaranga capensis (Baill.) Benth. ex Sim

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Aberfoyle Tea Estates, Honde Valley

Photo: Bart Wursten
Rusitu Forest

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

Synonyms:	Mallotus capensis (Baill.) Müll. Mappa capensis Baill.
Common names:	Mufukusha (Shona) Munyakomo (Shona) Musoswe (Shona) River macaranga (English) Spiny macaranga (English) Wild poplar (English)
Frequency:	Locally frequent
Status:	Native
Description:	Medium to large tree. Bark pale grey, smooth with whitish horizontal markings; trunk often buttressed in large specimens; branches often armed with short spines. Leaves spirally arranged, broadly ovate, up to 20 × 25 cm, more or less deeply cordate and often peltate at the base, 5-11-veined from the base, densely golden-gland dotted below; margin glandular-dentate to almost entire. Flowers in branched racemose inflorescences, greenish to creamy-yellow, unisexual, on different trees. Fruit subspherical, rarely 2-lobed, up to 6 × 10 mm, covered in yellowish-green glands when young, smooth, hairless and green when ripe.
Notes:	For distinctions between this species and the similar Macaranga mellifera, see the species key on the genus page. See also Croton sylvaticus for comparison The status of the record from the Central Division is discussed in Note 1.
Derivation of specific name:	capensis : of the Cape
Habitat:	In evergreen forest and along stream banks.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1400 m
Flowering time:	Oct - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	From southern Ethiopia south to South Africa
Zimbabwe distribution:	C,E,S
Growth form:	T
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 24 September 2006
Literature:	Coates Palgrave K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 508. 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 57. 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 42. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 49. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae FZ 9(4) Pages 164 - 165. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 188 - 189. (Includes a picture). White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Pages 254 - 255. (Includes a picture).

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Other sources of information about Macaranga capensis:

Flora of Mozambique: Macaranga capensis
African Plant Database: Macaranga capensis
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Macaranga capensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Macaranga capensis
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Macaranga capensis
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Macaranga capensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Macaranga capensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Macaranga capensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Macaranga capensis
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Macaranga capensis
Tropicos: Macaranga capensis
West African Plants database: Macaranga capensis