Home | > | List of families | > | Rubiaceae | > | Mussaenda | > | arcuata |
Synonyms: | |
Common names: | Forest star (English) Muridzameso (Shona) Musikawakakadzi (Shona) |
Frequency: | Locally common |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
A shrub, often scrambling. Leaves opposite, elliptic to almost circular, shiny dark green above, paler, often sparsely velvety below; stipules often 2-fid at apex. Flowers in dense panicles on short lateral branches, pale yellow with a bright orange star of hairs in the centre, turning brown with age. Fruit ellipsoid to almost round, scarred at the apex by the old calyx. The fruits are edible. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | arcuata: curved like a bow |
Habitat: | In margins of montane and riverine forest. |
Altitude range: (metres) | 350 - 1930 m |
Flowering time: | Jan - Apr |
Worldwide distribution: | Throughout tropical Africa; also in Madagascar, Mauritius and Réunion |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | Climber, liane, 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: | Sunday 25 February 2007 |
Literature: |
Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 112 - 113. (Includes a picture). Bridson, D.M. & Verdcourt, B. (2003). Rubiaceae, Part 3 Flora Zambesiaca 5(3) Pages 434 - 435. Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 245. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 950. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 39. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 24. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 274. 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 72. Plowes, D.C.H. & Drummond, R.B. (1990). Wild Flowers of Zimbabwe. Revised edition. Longman, Zimbabwe. No. 133, plate 174 Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Pages 79 - 80. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 164. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 98. |
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