Maerua kirkii (Oliv.) F. White

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Maerua kirkii

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

Maerua kirkii

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

Maerua kirkii

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

Maerua kirkii

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

Maerua kirkii

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

Maerua kirkii

Photo: Mark Hyde
Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge

Maerua kirkii

Photo: Mark Hyde
Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

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.


Other sources of information about Maerua kirkii:

Our websites:

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

External websites:

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
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
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
Tropicos: Maerua kirkii
Wikipedia: Maerua kirkii


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Maerua kirkii.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=124650, retrieved 28 March 2024

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