Home | > | List of families | > | Euphorbiaceae | > | Euphorbia | > | matabelensis |
Synonyms: |
Euphorbia currorii N.E. Br. Euphorbia inelegans N.E. Br. Euphorbia jaegeriana Pax |
Common names: | Chisimbo (Shona) Hamwamwa (Ndebele) Murimbo (Shona) Musambamacheche (Tonga: Zimbabwe) Three-forked euphorbia (English) Umhlanziso (Ndebele) |
Frequency: | Common |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Deciduous shrub or small tree. Bark light grey, smooth; branches typically forking in whorls of three, often spine-tipped (image 1). Leaves in clusters on small spurs,somewhat blue-green, narrowly lanceolate, normally c. 3-4 cm long; margin entire. Flowers in small dense heads at the ends of spurs and branches, greenish yellow. Fruit 3-lobed, c. 8 mm in diameter. |
Notes: | Known as the Three forked euphorbia because of the tendency for the branches to fork into three branches. See image 1 for an example. |
Derivation of specific name: | matabelensis : of Matabeleland in Southwestern Zimbabwe where the type was collected. |
Habitat: | Often on rocky outcrops and in open woodland on hillsides in sandy soils. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 450 - 1600 m |
Flowering time: | May - Jun (and later) |
Worldwide distribution: | Southern Angola, Botswana, Caprivi-Namibia, Southern Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,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: | Monday 2 July 2018 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 146. Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 456. (Includes a picture). Carter, S. & Leach, L.C. (2001). Euphorbiaceae: subfamily Euphorbioideae: tribe Euphorbieae Flora Zambesiaca 9(5) Pages 388 - 390. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 17. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 532. (Includes a picture). Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 337. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 253. Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1967). The influence of copper content of the soil on trees and shrubs of Molly South Hill, Mangula Kirkia 6(1) Pages 63 - 84. Mannheimer, C. & Curtis B. (2009). Le Roux and Müller's Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of Namibia Macmillan Education, Windhoek, Namibia. Page 483. 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. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 48. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 57. Setshogo, M.P. & Venter, F. (2003). Trees of Botswana: names and distribution SABONET Report No. 18 Southern African Botanical Diversity Network, Pretoria Page 56. |
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