Home | > | List of families | > | Putranjivaceae | > | Drypetes | > | mossambicensis |
Synonyms: | |
Common names: | Water ironplum (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Shrub or small to medium-sized tree, deciduous or near evergreen depending on the habitat. Leaves alternate, elliptic-oblong to oblanceolate, tapering or attenuate, up to 11 cm long, shiny bright green above, somewhat blue-green below, asymmetric at the base; margin sub-entire or widely and shallowly serrate. Flowers unisexual on different trees, female flowers solitary, male flowers in small axillary clusters, yellowish-green, scented. Fruits ellipsoid, somewhat fleshy, c. 1.5 cm long, yellow to orange when ripe, tipped by two old style branches. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | mossambicensis: of Mozambique |
Habitat: | On alluvial soils in riverine woodland and along floodplains, at the base of rocky hills or on termite mounds. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 760 m |
Flowering time: | Mainly Sep - Nov |
Worldwide distribution: | Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
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 402. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 23. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 251. 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 41. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 89 - 91. (Includes a picture). |
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