Maerua kirkii (Oliv.) F. White

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools, by main road to camp

Photo: Mark Hyde
Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge

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Synonyms:	Capparis kirkii Oliv.
Common names:	Chonzwe-mpati (Tonga: Zimbabwe) Large-flowered bush-cherry (English) Shukutsu (Hlengwe)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Evergreen shrub or small tree up to c. 5 m tall. Often conspicuous during the dry season, when most other shrubs and trees are leafless and dry. Leaves simple, oblong-obovate or oblanceolate, 4-12 cm long, thickly leathery, shiny green above, dull green below, somewhat rough on both surfaces; netveining conspicuous; apex with a hair-like tip; margin entire. Flowers in dense terminal clusters; sepals green, pubescent on both sides; petals present, very small, creamy-whitish; stamens c. 60, up to 3 cm long. Fruit round, up to 1.7 cm in diameter, shiny red when ripe, usually pendulous on stalks up to 2.5 cm long.
Notes:	Note that this species occurs at altitudes mostly below 1300m, but can achieve higher altitudes on termite mounds.
Derivation of specific name:	kirkii: named after Dr John Kirk, who accompanied David Livingstone on his Zambezi expedition of 1858
Habitat:	In hot and dry woodland, in rocky places, occasionally in miombo woodland but only on termite mounds.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1300 m
Flowering time:	Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe distribution:	N,C,E,S
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Saturday 13 July 2019
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 161. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 234. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 238. 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. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 168 - 169. (Includes a picture). Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 226 - 227.

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Flora of Malawi: Maerua kirkii
Flora of Mozambique: Maerua kirkii
Flora of Zambia: Maerua kirkii

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