Home | > | List of families | > | Capparaceae | > | Capparis | > | tomentosa |
Synonyms: | |
Common names: | Chikatavuwa (Shona) Gonashindi (Shona) Mukorongwe (Tonga: Zimbabwe) Umkanyengwe (Ndebele) Woolly caper-bush (English) |
Frequency: | Frequent |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Mostly a robust woody climber but occasionally a shrub or small tree, armed with sharp, paired, hooked thorns. All young parts are densely velvety. Leaves alternate, oblong to broadly elliptic, grey-green, covered in velvet hairs; margins entire. Flowers quite showy, yellowish-green with a mass of long white or pinkish stamens. Fruit large, up to 4 cm, pink to orange when ripe. The fruits hang from a long stalk-like branch called a gynophore. |
Notes: | The species is much used in traditional medicine. |
Derivation of specific name: | tomentosa: tomentose, densely woolly |
Habitat: | In woodland at lower altitudes, sometimes a liane; occurring at higher altitudes on termite mounds |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1380 m |
Flowering time: | Aug - Nov |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical Africa and South Africa |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | Climber, liane, shrub over 2 m. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | Eronia leda (Larval food plant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Friday 1 July 2016 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 153. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 223. Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 91. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 237. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 357. (Includes a picture). Mannheimer, C. & Curtis B. (2009). Le Roux and Müller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia Macmillan Education, Windhoek, Namibia. Pages 56 - 57. (Includes a picture). 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 32. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 47. (Includes a picture). Roodt, V. (1998). Trees and Shrubs of the Okavango Delta Shell Field Guide Series: Part I Shell Oil Botswana, Gaberone. Pages 56 - 57. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 44. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 202. Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Page 236. |
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