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Synonyms: |
Myrianthus holstii Engl. var. quinquesectus Engl. Myrianthus mildbraedii Peter |
Common names: | Denya (Shona) Guvu (Shona) Hand grenade fruit (English) Muteswa (Shona) Myrianthus (English) Pineapple-fruit tree (English) |
Frequency: | Locally common |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Medium-sized deciduous tree. Some specimens may be growing on stilt-roots. A watery latex is present. Leaves large, digitately divided into 5-7 leaflets. Leaflets oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate, up to 35 cm, dark green and hairless above, pale grey-green below with conspicuous veining; margin finely toothed. Flowers unisexual on separate trees. Male inflorescences in staghorn-like, branched heads, covered in small greenish flowers with orange-brown stamens (see photos). Female inflorescences in round yellowish heads. Fruit spherical, up to 40 cm, consisting of separate segments, resembling a custard-apple or miniature pineapple, bright yellow when ripe. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | holstii: named after C.H.E.W. Holst (1865-1894), German horticulturalist and plant collector. |
Habitat: | In evergreen forest |
Altitude range: (metres) | 900 - 1700 m |
Flowering time: | Sep - Dec |
Worldwide distribution: | Eastern DRC, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | E |
Growth form(s): | Tree. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Saturday 7 February 2009 |
Literature: |
Berg, C.C. (1991). Cecropiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(6) Pages 77 - 78. (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 125. (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 94. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 39. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 153. 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. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 234. 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 33. Under Cecropiaceae Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 5. as Myrianthus arboreus (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 65. Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 72. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 90. |
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