Gymnosporia matoboensis Jordaan

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (5)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Maleme Dam camp

Photo: Bart Wursten
Besna Kobila, Matobo

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

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

Synonyms:	Maytenus heterophylla (Eckl. & Zeyh.) N. Robson subsp. puberula N. Robson
Common names:	Matobo spike-thorn (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Small slender tree, less than 3 m, armed with slender spines, up to 1 cm. Bark black, somewhat fissured; young branches reddish-brown, velvety. Leaves densely clustered on very short spur-branchlets, subsessile, oblanceolate, up to 2 cm long, green and hairless above, much paler, whitish-green and velvety below; margin entire. Flowers in small sparsely branched heads among the leaf clusters, white to cream. Fruit a capsule, c. 10 mm long, velvety.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	matobensis: of the Matobo Hills in SW Zimbabwe.
Habitat:	In fringing forests on granite.
Altitude range: (metres)	1100 - 1400 m
Flowering time:	Mar - Jun
Worldwide distribution:	Restricted to the Matobo hills and adjacent areas, occurring in fringing forests on granite.
Zimbabwe distribution:	W
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:	Endemic
Red data list status:	Lower Risk - least concern
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Friday 26 February 2021
Literature:	Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 255. As Maytenus heterophylla puberula Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 172. As Maytenus heterophylla subsp. puberula Mapaura, A. (2002). Endemic Plant Species of Zimbabwe. Kirkia 18(1) Page 136. As Maytenus heterophylla subsp. puberula 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 33. Robson, N.K.B. (1966). Celastraceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 364 - 367. As Maytenus heterophylla puberula

Other sources of information about Gymnosporia matoboensis:

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Gymnosporia matoboensis
African Plant Database: Gymnosporia matoboensis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Gymnosporia matoboensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Gymnosporia matoboensis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Gymnosporia matoboensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Gymnosporia matoboensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Gymnosporia matoboensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Gymnosporia matoboensis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Gymnosporia matoboensis
Plants of the World Online: Gymnosporia matoboensis
Tropicos: Gymnosporia matoboensis
Wikipedia: Gymnosporia matoboensis