Home | > | List of families | > | Phyllanthaceae | > | Antidesma | > | venosum |
Synonyms: |
Antidesma bifrons Tul. Antidesma biovinianum Baill. |
Common names: | Tassel berry (English) |
Frequency: | Common |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Shrub or small tree. Leaves alternate, oblong to elliptic, leathery; veins sunken above, prominent below with hairs on the veins on both surfaces. Flowers in long catkin-like spikes, up to 8 cm; sexes on separate trees, male flowers yellow, female flowers reddish, unpleasantly scented. The flowers are often parasitised by insects to form a tangled mass of sterile galls. Fruits in pendulous spikes of small fleshy berries, red to purple-black when ripe, edible. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | venosum: veined, referring to the prominent veins |
Habitat: | In riverine vegetation, woodland and wooded grassland, on rocky outcrops and along forest margins. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1830 m |
Flowering time: | Oct - Jan |
Worldwide distribution: | Throughout Subsaharan Africa as far as Eastern Cape, South Africa. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,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: | Wednesday 11 April 2012 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 407. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 482 - 483. (Includes a picture). Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 323. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 55. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 251. Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 220 - 221. (Includes a picture). Kamumvuri, G. (ed.) (2004). Plants of Zimbabwe Report No. 1 National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 35. Mannheimer, C. & Curtis B. (2009). Le Roux and Müller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia Macmillan Education, Windhoek, Namibia. Pages 250 - 251. (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 40. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 47. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 105 - 107. Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 266 - 267. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 55. Setshogo, M.P. & Venter, F. (2003). Trees of Botswana: names and distribution SABONET Report No. 18 Southern African Botanical Diversity Network, Pretoria Page 53. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 25. 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 207. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 188 - 189. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 234 - 235. (Includes a picture). White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia Oxford Univ. Press. Pages 193 - 194. |
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