Tarchonanthus camphoratus L.

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Photo: Lene Lauritsen
At the very end of Claremont Road, 30 kms SE of Bulawayo

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Camphor bush (English) Sage bush (English) Wild sage (English)
Frequency:	Frequent
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or small tree up to c.8 m, smelling of camphor. Bark with shallow ± vertical and anastomosing ridges, these ± fibrous in appearance. Leaves: petiole 0-6 mm; lamina variable in size from c.2 × 0.5 to c.8.5(-12) × 3.5(-5) cm, narrowly oblong-elliptic, elliptic or oblanceolate to narrowly obovate; upper surface glabrescent with numerous golden glands, grey-green; lower surface white-tomentose with prominent nerves; base cuneate; apex subacute, obtuse or rounded; margin entire. Male capitula with 10-25 florets. Female capitula with 4-5 florets; achenes c.2.5-3(-4) mm, ± flattened-ellipsoid, densely covered in long, sericeous-woolly hairs.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat:	In woodland, often on termite mounds, and in riverine vegetation.
Altitude range: (metres)	1100 - 1490 m
Flowering time:	Feb-Aug
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in Africa, from Ethiopia south to South Africa, and in Saudi Arabia.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,W,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Monday 19 August 2013
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 34. Coates Palgrave, M. (1989). Guide to the trees and shrubs of the Mukuvisi Woodlands ?publisher. Pages 9 - 10. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 278. 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 28. Pope, G.V. (1992). Compositae Flora Zambesiaca 6(1) Pages 9 - 11. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 38. Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 83.

Other sources of information about Tarchonanthus camphoratus:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Tarchonanthus camphoratus
Flora of Zambia: Tarchonanthus camphoratus

External websites:

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