Pseudospondias microcarpa (A. Rich.) Engl.

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Ferme Randu, southwest Katanga Province, DRC.
Photo: Jos Stevens

Photo: Alexandra Ley
Yaekela, Tshopo

Photo: Bart Wursten
Yaofa, Aruwimi River, upstream from Bomane

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Synonyms:	Pseudospondias microcarpa (A.Rich.) Engl. var. hirsuta Brenan Sorindeia obliquifoliolata Engl. Sorindeia obtusifoliolata var. parvifoliolata Engl. Spondias angolensis O.Hoffm. Spondias microcarpa A.Rich. Spondias zanzee G.Don
Common names:
Description:	A tall shrub with the main stems stout and spreading, or more often a tree up to 35 m high; bole usually short, 3–18 m tall and up to 2 m in diam., twisted, strongly buttressed; bark greyish-yellow, falling off in large flakes. Leaves 5-17-foliolate; petiole and rhachis 10-50 cm long, striate, glabrous, rarely pubescent; petiole dorsally convex, flat above; rhachis subcylindric; leaflets opposite or alternate, discolorous, sometimes shining, 5-20 × 3-8 cm, oblong-ovate to elliptic, the basal ones smaller, the terminal one symmetrically cuneate at the base, the others very asymmetric, entire; petiolules 0·3-1 cm long, grooved, glabrous or pubescent. Panicles up to as long as the leaves or longer, with the axis and branches dull-brownish-red, puberulous. Male flowers: sepals 4(5), 0.8-1 mm long, ovate, obtuse, glabrous; petals whitish, 1.5-2.2 × 1-1.25 mm, elliptic; stamens 8(10), with very short filaments and 0.3-0.5 mm long anthers. Female flowers: ovary globose, 4(5)-locular; styles 4. Drupe blue-black when ripe, 1.5-2.5 × 1-1.8 cm, broadly ellipsoid when fresh; stone oblong-ovoid to obovoid, 4(5)-gonal, 4(5)-locular (usually only 1 loculus fertile), with 4(5) opercules near the apex. Seed 10-15 × 2-4 mm, oblong.
Notes:	Biegel (1977) records this as a cultivated genus under Anacardiaceae but there are no details in the list of genera, presumably this was accidentally omitted. The species name was taken from Glen (2002). var. hirsuta is no longer recognized as a separate taxon.
Derivation of specific name:	microcarpa: with small fruits.
Flowering time:	Jul - Aug
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in West, Central and East Africa
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Insects associated with this species:
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Literature:	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 22. Fernandes, R. & A. (1966). Anacardiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 555 - 556. (Includes a picture). Kativu, S. (2008). Alliaceae Flora Zambesiaca 13(1) Page 22. Meerts, P. & Hasson, M. (2016). Arbres et arbustes du Haut-Katanga Jardin Botanique Meise, Belgique Page 326. (Includes a picture). Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 47. Pauwels, L. (1993). Nzayilu N'ti Guide des arbres et arbustes de la region de Kinshasa - Brazzaville Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Bruxelles Page 94. (Includes a picture). Troupin, G. (1983). Anacardiaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 295. (Includes a picture). White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia Oxford Univ. Press. Page 211.

Other sources of information about Pseudospondias microcarpa:

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Flora of Burundi: Pseudospondias microcarpa
Flora of the DRC: Pseudospondias microcarpa
Flora of Mozambique: Pseudospondias microcarpa
Flora of Rwanda: Pseudospondias microcarpa
Flora of Zambia: Pseudospondias microcarpa

External websites:

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