mmn
Editor 0. A. Leistner
Billift
Part 3 SIMAROUBACEAE— MALPIGHIACEAE
by K. L. Immelman, J. J. A. van der Walt, F. White &
B. T. Styles and P. D. de Villiers & D. J. Botha
Botanical Research Institute
Department of Agriculture and Water Supply
Republic of South Africa
FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
All contributions should be compiled in accordance with the latest edition of the Guide for Contributors to the Flora of
southern Africa (compiled by Leistner, Ross & De Winter) which is available from the Librarian, Botanical Research
Institute, Private Bag X 10 1 . Pretoria 0001.
Cryptogam volumes will in future not be numbered but will be known by the name of the group they cover. The
number assigned to the volume on Charophyta therefore becomes redundant.
Alien families are marked with an asterisk.
Published volumes, parts and fascicles, are shown in italics.
Please note that local prices as given below do not include GST. Prices given for other countries include postage.
INTRODUCTORY VOLUMES
The genera of Southern African flowering plants
Vol. 1: Dicotyledons (Published 1975). Price: R1 1,23. Other countries: R14.00
Vol. 2: Monocotyledons (Published 1976). Price: R8,21. Other countries: R10.00
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CRYPTOGAM VOLUMES
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Bryophyta:
FLOWERING PLANTS VOLUMES
Vol. 1: Stangeriaceae, Zamiaceae, Podocarpaceae, Pinaceae*, Cupressaceae, Welwitschiaceae, Typhaceae, Zostera-
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Vol. 4: Part 1: Restionaceae
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Vol. 8: Musaceae, Strelitziaceae, Zingiberaceae, Cannaceae*, Burmanniaceae, Orchidaceae
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ceae, Proteaceae
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Santalaceae, Grubbiaceae, Opiliaceae, Olacaceae, Balanophoraceae, Aristolochiaceae, Rafflesiaceae, Hydnora-
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( Continued on inside of back cover)
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Printed by the Government Printer and obtainable from the Directorate of Agricultural Information, Department of Agricul-
ture and Water Supply. Private Bag X 144, Pretoria 0001 .
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
REPUBLIEK VAN SUID-AFRIKA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER SUPPLY
DEPARTEMENT VAN LANDBOU EN WATER VOORSIENING
FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
VOLUME 18
PART 3
ISBN 0 621 09698 9
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016
https://archive.org/details/floraofsoutherna183unse
FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
which deals with the territories of
SOUTH AFRICA, CISKEI, TRANSKEI, LESOTHO, SWAZILAND, BOPHUTHA-
TSWANA, SOUTH WEST AFRICA/NAMIBIA, BOTSWANA AND VENDA
VOLUME 18
PART 3
S IM AROUB ACE AE-M ALPIGHI ACE AE
by
K. L. Immelman, J. J. A. van der Walt, F. White &
B. T. Styles and P. D. de Villiers & D. J. Botha
Edited by
O. A. Leistner
Editorial Committee: B. de Winter, D. J. B. Killick, G. E. Gibbs Russell and O. A. Leistner
Botanical Research Institute,
Department of Agriculture and Water Supply
1986
CONTENTS
New combination published in Part 3 vi
Introduction vii
Plan of Flora of southern Africa viii
SIMAROUBACEAE by K. L. Immelman 3:1
Kirkia 3: 1
BURSERACEAE by J. J. A. van der Walt 3: 5
Commiphora 3:5
PTAEROXYLACEAE by F. White and B . T . Styles 3:35
Ptaeroxylon 3: 35
MELIACEAE by F. White and B . T. Styles 3: 39
Nymania 3: 39
Turraea 3: 41
Melia 3: 49
Ekebergia 3:51
Trichilia 3: 53
Pseudobersama 3: 57
Entandrophragma 3: 59
MALPIGHIACEAE 3:63
Triaspis by K. L. Immelman 3: 63
Sphedamnocarpus by P. D. de Villiers and D. J. Botha 3: 66
Acridocarpus by K. L. Immelman 3: 69
Index 3:73
NEW COMBINATION PUBLISHED IN PART 3*
Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (Juss.) Szyszyl. subsp. galphimiifolius (Juss.) P. D. de Villiers
& D. J. Botha, comb, nov., p. 3: 67
* Date of publication: November, 1986
INTRODUCTION
The Flora of southern Africa is arranged on the lines of the Engler system. Sequence and
numbering of genera are as far as possible in agreement with De Dalla Torre & Harms (Genera
Siphonogamarum, 1900 - 1907). Keys to families are provided in R. A. Dyer’s Genera of South-
ern African Plants.
This part was compiled in accordance with a Guide to Contributors to the Flora of southern
Africa (Ross, Leistner & De Winter, 1977). The latest edition of the Guide is available from the
Librarian, Botanical Research Institute, Private Bag X101 , Pretoria, 0001 .
The following condensed abbreviations for literature references are used:
Burtt Davy, FI. Trans Manual of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of the
Transvaal and Swaziland, Vol. 1 (1926) and Vol. 2
(1932)
C.F.A Conspectus Florae Angolensis
F.C Flora Capensis
F.C.B Flore du Congo et du Rwanda-Burundi
F.M Flora de Mozambique
F.S.W.A Prodromus einer Flora von Sudwestafrika
F.T.A Flora of Tropical Africa
F.T.E.A Flora of Tropical East Africa
F.W.T.A Flora of West Tropical Africa
F.Z Flora Zambesiaca
R.A. Dyer, Gen The Genera of Southern African Flowering Plants by
R. A. Dyer, Vol. 1 (1975) and Vol. 2 (1976).
Cited voucher specimens are all housed in PRE (National Herbarium, Pretoria).
Vol. 18 of the Flora, of which the present publication is a component, will appear in parts (see
p. ix). The number of the part, namely 3, precedes the page number on all pages marked with
Arabic numerals. This was done with a view to binding the entire volume, once completed, and to
compiling a combined index to all its component parts. When binding the entire volume the pages
marked with Roman numerals may be omitted.
The ‘3’ preceding the page number of pages marked with Arabic numerals was inadvertently
omitted from all text pages. Allowance will be made for this omission when a combined index to
Vol. 18 is compiled.
PLAN OF FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
Crytogam volumes will in future not be numbered but will be known by the name of the group they cover. The number
assigned to the volume on Charophyta therefore becomes redundant.
Alien families are marked with an asterisk.
Published volumes and parts are shown in italics.
Plase note that local prices as given below do not include GST. Prices given for other countries include postage.
INTRODUCTORY VOLUMES
The genera of Southern African flowering plants
Vol. 1: Dicotyledons (Published 1975). Price: R 1 1 ,23. Other countries: R14,00
Vol. 2: Monocotyledons (Published 1976). Price: R8.21. Other countries: RIO, 00
Botanical exploration of Southern Africa (Published 1981). Price R40,00 (Obtainable from booksellers)
CRYPTOGAM VOLUMES
Charophyta (Published as Vol. 9 in 1978). Price: R4,25. Other countries: R5,30
Bryophyta:
Part 1: Mosses: Fascicle 1: Sphagnaceae — Grimmiaceae (Published 1981). Price: R24,34. Other countries
R30,40
Fascicle 2: Gigaspermaceae — Bartramiaceae (in press)
Fascicle 3: Erpodiaceae — Hookeriaceae
Fascicle 4: Fabroniaceae — Polytrichaceae
Pteridophyta (in press)
FLOWERING PLANTS VOLUMES
Vol. 1: Stangeriaceae, Zamiaceae, Podocarpaceae, Pinaceae*, Cupressaceae, Welwitschiaceae, Typhaceae, Zostera-
ceae, Potamogetonaceae , Ruppiaceae , Zannichelliaceae, Najadaceae, Aponogetonaceae, Juncaginaceae, Alis-
mataceae, Hydrocharitaceae (Published 1966). Price: R1.98. Other countries R2, 60
Vol. 2: Poaceae
Vol. 3: Cyperaceae, Arecaceae, Araceae, Lemnaceae, Flagellartaceae
Vol. 4: Part 1: Restionaceae
Part 2: Xyridaceae, Eriocaulaceae , Commelinaceae, Pontederiaceae, Juncaceae (Published 1985). Price:
R7,50. Other countries: R9.40
Vol. 5: Liliaceae, Agavaceae
Vol. 6: Haemodoiaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Hypoxidaceae, Tecophilaeaceae, Velloziaceae, Dioscoreaceae
Vol. 7: Iridaceae: Parti: Nivenioideae, Iridoideae
Part 2: Ixioideae: Fascicle 1
Fascicle 2: Syringodea, Romulea (Published 1983).
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Vol. 8: Musaceae, Strelitziaceae, Zingiberaceae, Cannaceae*. Burmanniaceae, Orchidaceae
Vol. 9: Casuarinaceae*, Piperaceae, Salicaceae, Myricaceae, Fagaceae*, Ulmaceae, Moraceae, Cannabaceae*, Urtica-
ceae, Proteaceae
Vol. 10: Part \ : Loranthaceae. Viscaceae (Published 1979). Price: R4,34. Other countries: R5,40
Santalaceae, Grubbiaceae, Opiiiaceae, Olacaceae, Balanophoraceae, Aristolochiaceae, Rafflesiaceae, Hydnora-
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Vol. 11: Phytolaccaceae, Aizoaceae, Mesembryanthemaceae
Vol. 12: Portulacaceae, Basellaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Illecebraceae, Cabombaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Ceratophyllaceae,
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Vol 15: Vahliaceae, Montiniaceae, Escalloniaceae, Pittosporaceae, Cunoniaceae, Myrothamnaceae, Brumaceae, Hama-
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Vol 16: Fabaceae: Parti: Mimosoideae (Published 1975). Price: R13, 59. Other countries: R16, 75
Part 2: Caesalpinioideae ( Published 1977). Price: R16.04. Other countries: R20,00
Papilionoideae
Vol. 17: Geraniaceae, Oxalidaceae
viii
Vol. 18: Parti: Linaceae, Erythroxylaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Balanitaceae
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Vol. 19: Polygalaceae, Dichapetalaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Callitrichaceae, Buxaceae, Anacardiaceae, Aquifoliaceae
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poraceae
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Part 3: Arctotideae
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Other countries: R16,20
Part 8: Fleliantheae, Eupatorieae
Part 9: Senecioneae
IX
SlMAROUBACEAE
SIMAROUBACEAE
by K. L. IMMELMAN
1
4128 KIRK1A
Kirkia Oliv. inF.T.A. 1: 31 1 (1868); in Hooker’s Icon. PI. 11: t. 1036 (June, 1868); M. Friedrich
in F.S.W.A. 69: 1 (1968); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 295 (1975); Stannard in Kew Bull. 35,4: 829
(1981); Immelman in Bothalia 15, 1 & 2: 151 (1984). Type species: K. acuminata Oliv.
Trees; bark grey, with or without black spots, smooth, with salmon-pink lenticels. Leaves
spiral, clustered at ends of branches, exstipulate, imparipinnate, deciduous. Leaflets opposite or
subopposite, sessile or very shortly petiolulate, margins entire or crenate. Inflorescence an axillary
dichasium. Flowers male or female, monoecious but flowers of only one sex open on a tree at a
time. Sepals 4, free, ovate. Petals 4, free, oblong, adaxial surface glabrous or puberulous. Stamens
4, free, reduced in size and appear to be empty of pollen in female flowers. Disc 4-lobed, fleshy,
saucer-shaped. Stigma capitate, slightly 4-lobed, absent in male flowers. Styles 4, fused, absent in
male flowers, long in female flowers. Ovary 4-locular, each loculus with a single pendulous ovule,
reduced in male flowers. Fruit oblong, 4-sided, dry, glabrous, separating into 4 or 8 one-seeded
cocci each attached by a strip of tissue to top of central gynophore.
Kirkia is the only genus of the Simaroubaceae represented in the Flora area. It has 5 species, all African, 3 of which
occur within the Flora area: in S.W. A. /Namibia, Botswana and Transvaal.
The generic name commemorates Dr J. Kirk who collected the type of K. acuminata.
la Leaves usually with fewer than 10 pairs of leaflets, leaflets 10 - 24 mm wide 1 . K . acuminata
lb Leaves always with 10 or more pairs of leaflets, leaflets up to 6 mm wide:
2a Bark with small grey-black spots; mericarps 8, fruit as long as wide; endemic to Sesfontein area in southern
Kaokoland, S.W. A. /Namibia 2. K. dewinteri
2b Bark not spotted; mericarps 4, fruit 1 A times longer than wide; endemic to Transvaal 3. K. wilmsii
1. Kirkia acuminata Oliv. in F.T.A. 1:
31 (1868); in Hooker’s Icon. PI. 11: t.1036
(June, 1868); Codd in Mem. bot. Surv. S. Afr.
26: 83, fig. 78, 79 (1951); Exell & Mendon$a
inC.F.A. 1: 276 (1956); Wild & Phipps in F.Z.
2: 214, t.39 (1963); De Winter et al., Sixty-six
Transv. Trees 86 (1966); M. Friedrich in
F.S.W.A. 69: 2 (1968); Wild, Phipps &'Paiva,
F. M. 38 (Simaroubaceae): 3 (1969); Coates
Palgrave, Trees of Southern Africa 345, t. 117
(1977). Type: Mozambique, from Batoka to the
delta at Lupata near Sena, Kirk s.n. (not seen).
K. pubescens Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 1: 45 (1926); 2:
481 (1932). K. acuminata var. pubescens (Burtt Davy)
Bremekamp in Ann. Transv. Mus. 15,2: 244 (1932-35).
Type: Transvaal, Messina, O'Connor H 1934 (K, holo.;
PRE!).
Tree with spreading rounded crown, 3-17
(-23) m high; bark pale grey, smooth or
slightly rough. Leaflets in (3-) 6-9 (-10)
pairs, glabrous or pilose, hairs sometimes re-
stricted to midrib, elliptic, 29-88 x 10-24
mm, apex acuminate, slightly curving, base
slightly oblique, margin crenate, becoming
bright scarlet in autumn; petiolules absent to 2
mm long. Pedicels articulated near base.
whitish-puberulous. Sepals glabrous or pube-
scent, 1—2 x 1 — 1,5 mm. Petals 4 (—5), gla-
brous or outer surface pubescent, 3—6 x
1-1,5 mm, white to cream. Stamens with
anthers oval, 1-2 mm long; filaments linear,
glabrous, 3—4 mm long; staminodes about M
as large. Fruit glabrous, 11-20 x 6-9 mm,
length 1,5-3 times the breadth. Fig. 1: 1.
A conspicuous and often common tree in bushveld and
savanna, on rocky hillslopes; preferring basic soils (e.g.
dolomite) but also found on a variety of acidic soils (e.g.
granite, quartz, sandstone). It occurs in most of the
Transvaal north of 25° S., and in northern S.W. A. /Namibia,
with a few scattered localities in northern Botswana. It
flowers mainly in November and December. Map 1 .
Vouchers: De Winter 2888 (WIND); De Winter &
Leistner 5585; Giess 15005; Mogg 14481; Pole Evans
2590.
2. Kirkia dewinteri Merxm. & Heine in
Mitt. bot. StSamml., Miinch. 3: 617 (1960);
Merxmuller in F.S.W.A. 2, 69 (1966-72);
Coates Palgrave, Trees of Southern Africa 345
(1977). Types: S.W. A. /Namibia, Kaokoveld,
Von Koenen 104 (M, holo.; PRE!); Kaokoveld,
24,41 km from Warmbad on road to Ombom-
bo, De Winter & Leistner 5837 (M; PRE!).
2
SlMAROUBACEAE
SlMAROUBACEAE
3
Tree, 3-10 m high; bark smooth, yel-
lowish with numerous small blackish spots.
Leaves hysteranthous. Leaflets in 20-40 pairs,
glabrous, elliptic, 6-16 x 2-3 mm, apex
acute to acuminate, base slightly oblique, mar-
gin minutely crenate; petiolules absent or up to
1 mm long. Flowers coming out before the
leaves, with pedicels articulated near base,
whitish-puberulous. Sepals puberulous, 1,5-3
x 1 — 1,5 mm. Petals glabrous or puberulous on
outer surface, 3,5—5 x 1,5—2 mm, cream.
Stamens of male flowers with anthers oval,
1-1,5 mm long; filaments linear, glabrous, ±3
mm long; stamens of female flowers 'A— 'A as
large. Fruit with a few hairs near the apex, c. 6
X 6 mm.
A rare tree confined to the Sesfontein area in the
southern Kaokoland in S.W. A. /Namibia. It occurs on the
slopes of dolomitic hills and rock outcrops, and has been
recorded in flower in September and December. Map 2.
Vouchers: Craven 1062 (WIND); Giess 10545; Rusch
s.n. (WIND); Van der Walt 246 A.
3. Kirkia wilmsii Engl, in Notizbl. bot.
Gart. Mus. Berl. 2: 25 (1897); Codd in Mem.
bot. Surv. S. Afr. 26: 84, fig. 80 (1951); De
Winter et al., Sixty-six Transv. Trees 88
(1966); Ross in Flower. PI. Afr. pi. 1590
(1970); Coates Palgrave, Trees of Southern
Africa 345 (1977). Syntypes: Wilms 147, 148,
162 (Bt).
Tree, crown rounded and widely spread-
ing, trunk often branching near base, 3-20 m
high; bark pale grey, smooth or slightly rough.
Leaflets in 10-22 pairs, glabrous, elliptic,
6—30 x 2—6 mm, apex acute, base slightly
oblique, margin usually minutely crenate,
sometimes entire, becoming bright scarlet in
autumn; petiolules absent. Pedicels articulated
near base, usually glabrous. Sepals usually gla-
brous, 1—2 x 0,75-1 mm. Petals usually gla-
brous, 3-4 x 1-2 mm, cream to greenish
white. Stamens of male flowers with anthers
oval, 1 -2 mm long; filaments linear, glabrous,
2—3 mm long; stamens of female flowers
A- A as large. Fruit glabrous, 8-11 x 4-7
mm. Fig. 1: 2.
A common tree on rocky hillslopes and in kloofs, in
savanna and bushveld, occurring in both granitic and dolo-
mitic soils. It is endemic to the Transvaal Lowveld. It can
be found in flower from September to January, but usually
flowers from October to December. Map 2.
Vouchers: De Winter 8416; Mogg H. 11654; Nel 9
(NBG); Robbertse 1 147; Strey 8001 .
MAP 2. — ▲ Kirkia dewinteri
• Kirkia wilmsii
Burseraceae
BURSERACEAE
by J. J. A. van der Walt*
5
Dioecious or polygamous but rarely monoecious many-stemmed shrubs or trees; bark often
peeling or flaking in papery pieces or strips; resin ducts present, secreting an odoriferous resin;
branchlets often spine-tipped, glabrous, pilose or tomentose. Leaves petiojate or rarely sessile or
subsessile, alternate, usually grouped at the ends of the branches, simple, trifoliolate or imparipin-
nate, margins of leaflets usually crenate, serrate or lobed, seldom entire. Flowers unisexual, rarely
bisexual, perigynous or hypogynous; male flowers usually larger than female flowers; appearing
before or with the leaves and occasionally after the leaves in axillary simple or compound dichasial
cymes, paniculate cymes or singly in clusters. Calyx infundibuhform, campanulate or broadly
campanulate with 4 valvate persistent lobes, in perigynous flowers continuous with hypanthium, in
hypogynous flowers inserted on receptacle. Petals 4, usually yellow to green, apex incurved. Disc
in perigynous flowers adnate to hypanthium, cylindrical, rarely fleshy, sometimes lobed; in hypo-
gynous flowers not adnate to calyx or corolla, intrastaminal, cylindrical, usually with 4 large lobes
or with 4 large and 4 small lobes. Stamens 8 or sometimes 4, obdiplostemonous, 4 antisepalous
stamens longer than other 4; filaments inserted on the outside or on top of disc; anthers introrse and
adnate; staminodes present in female flowers. Gynoecium half inferior or superior; rudimentary in
male flowers; ovary 2-locular with 2 epitropous ovules per loculus; style usually relatively short;
stigma capitate, obscurely 2-4-lobed. Fruit an ovoid, ellipsoid or subglobose drupe, usually
asymmetrically flattened; exocarp relatively thin, mesocarp usually fleshy, exocarp and mesocarp
splitting in ripe fruit into 2 longitudinal valves (4 valves in a few species outside our area);
endocarp forming a crustaceous or bony putamen, usually clasped by a pseudo-aril; pseudo-aril
usually red or yellowish, usually fleshy, cupular with short lobes or arms or with 2-4 relatively
long arms or covering almost whole putamen without distinct arms; putamen usually enclosing one
fertile loculus and a much smaller abortive loculus; ceed with embryo straight, cotyledons much
folded. Fig. 2.
Some characters not applicable in our area: sepals 3 or 5; petals 3 or 5, rarely absent; ovary 3-5-loculed; fruit
sometimes a tardily dehiscing capsule.
A family of 16 genera with about 500 species distributed mainly in the tropics, but especially in Malaysia, Africa and
South America.
4151 COMMIPHORA
Commiphora Jacq., Hort. Schoenbr. 2: 66, t. 249 (1797); Engl, in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 7
(1883); in Pflanzenfam. 3: 251 (1896); edn 2, 19a: 429 (1931); Guillaumin in Annls Sci. nat. 9:
279 (1909); Engl, in Bot. Jb. 48: 449 (1913); in Pflanzenw. Afr. 3: 786 (1915); Hutch. & Dalz.,
F.W.T.A. 1: 488 (1928); Chiov., FI. Somala 2: 53 (1932); Burtt in Kew Bull. 1935: 101 (1935);
Perr. Bathie in FI. Madag. 5: 5 (1946); Exell & Mendonga in C.F.A. 1:298 (1951); Wild in Bolm
Soc. broteriana, ser. 2, 33: 67 (1959); Wild in F.Z. 2: 263 (1963); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 1
(1968); J. J. A. v. d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 54 (1973). Type species: C. madagascariensis Jacq.,
Hort. Schoenbr. 2: 66, t. 249 (1797).
Amyris sensu Linn., Mant. 65 (1767).
Balsamea Gled. in Schriften Ges. naturf. Freunde, Berlin 3: 127 (1782); Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1: 41 (1881).
Balessan Bruce, Trav. 5: t. 25 (1790).
Balsamodendrum Kunth in Annls Sci. nat. 1: 348 ( 1824); DC., Prodr. 2: 76 (1825); Sond. inF.C. 1: 526 ( 1860); O. Berg
in Bot. Ztg 21: 161 ( 1862); Marchand in Adansonia 8: 34, 67 ( 1867); Oliv. in F.T.A. 1:324(1868).
Hemprichia Ehrenb. in Linnaea 4: 396 (1829); Marchand in Adansonia 8: 69 (1867).
Heudelotia A. Rich, in Guill. , Perr. & A. Rich., FI. Sen. 1: 150, t. 39(1832).
Prolium sensu Wight & Am. in Prod. FI. Ind. 176 ( 1834); Harv. inF.C. 2: 592(1862).
Department of Botany, University of Stellenbosch.
6
Burseraceae
ft Q ft u> (D
(i) •$ #
® Q U y
y Q "Q *0 "0
21 22 /X 23 24 /-v 25
qQQQq
I I
10mm
Fig. 2. — Putameni with pseudo-arils (in black) as seen from the less convex face of the putamens. 1, Commiphora
schimperi; 2, C. africana; 3, C. merkeri; 4, C. glandulosa; 5, C. pyracanthoides; 6, C. discolor; 7, C. virgata; 8, C.
giessii; 9, C. multijuga; 10, C. neglecta; II, C. mollis; 12, C. marlothii; 13, C. harveyi; 14, C. mossambicensis;
15, C. dinteri; 16, C. gracilifrondosa; 17, C. namaensis; 18, C. glaucescens; 19, C. wildii; 20, C. anacardiifolia;
21, C. saxicola; 22, C. edulis; 23, C. zanzibarica; 24, C. woodii; 25, C. crenalo-serrata; 26, C. tenuipetiolata;
27, C. angolensis; 28, C. kraeuseliana; 29, C. capensis; 30, C. cervifolia.
Burseraceae
7
Protionopsin Blume, Mus. Bot. 1: 229(1850), nom. nud.
Hitzeria Klotzsch in Peters, Reise Mossamb., Bot. 1: 89 (1861).
Balsamophloeos O. Berg in Bot. Ztg 20: 163 (1862).
Description as for family.
Commiphora, with about 200 species, is the only genus of the family represented in southern Africa.
la Leaves simple, occasionally with 2 additional much smaller lateral leaflets on long shoots, leaves sessile or subses-
sile (except for C. namaensis (no. 18) with petiolate leaves):
2a Branchlets not spine-tipped; flowers perigynous; pseudo-aril cupular without arms or with 2 commissural arms:
3a Margin of leaves serrate-dentate, leaves petiolate, occasionally with 2 additional much smaller lateral leaflets,
lamina rotund or orbicular and relatively small (up to 15x12 mm); pseudo-aril with 2 long commissural
arms; bark light grey, not peeling 18. C. namaensis
3b Margin of leaves entire, leaves sessile or subsessile, always simple, lamina narrowly elliptic to broadly elliptic
and relatively large (usually much larger than 15x12 mm); pseudo-aril cupular with 3 or 4 short lobes but
without 2 long commissural arms; bark yellowish brown or reddish brown and usually peeling in papery
pieces:
4a Leaves relatively large (70 — )130( — 200) x (30 — )80( — 140) mm; inflorescence thyrsoid, without large leaf-
like bracts and up to 200 mm long; leaves and inflorescence pilose; fruit ovoid or obovoid
21. C. anacardiifolia
4b Leaves relatively small (15 — )40(— 100) x (8— )25(— 60) mm; inflorescence of simple or compound
dichasial cymes or thyrsoid, up to 80 mm long and often with large leaf-like bracts; leaves and
inflorescence glabrous or sparsely to densely pilose; fruit ellipsoid 19. C -glaucescens
2b Branchlets spine-tipped; flowers hypogynous; pseudo-aril usually with 4 distinct arms of equal length reaching
almost to apex of putamen:
5a Young branchlets smooth and purplish; leaves glaucous and margins crenate-serrate; calyx glabrous; fruit
ellipsoid and apiculate; bark grey 3. C. merkeri
5b Young branchlets greyish green; leaves green or dark green and margins finely crenate-serTate, crenate-ser-
rate, subentire or entire; calyx with large glandular hairs or glabrous; fruit subglobose or ellipsoid but not
apiculate; bark yellowish white, greyish green or yellowish green:
6a Lamina of simple leaves broadly elliptic to suborbicular, dark green and shiny, margins often entire or sub-
entire; calyx glabrous; flowers unisexual; bark yellowish white and peeling around the stem in papery
strips 6. C. discolor
6b Lamina of simple leaves elliptic, narrowly obovate or obovate, green and not shiny, margins usually finely
crenate-serrate or serrate; calyx with large glandular hairs or glabrous; flowers bisexual or unisexual; bark
greyish green or yellowish green and flaking in small papery pieces:
7a Calyx glabrous; lamina of simple leaves/terminal leaflet elliptic, narrowly obovate or obovate, margin
finely crenate-serrate or occasionally almost entire; many-stemmed shrubs, occasionally small trees
with single trunk 5. C. pyracanthoides
7b Calyx with large glandular hairs; lamina of simple leaves or terminal leaflet obovate or elliptic, margin
crenate-serrate or occasionally almost entire; trees with a single trunk, occasionally shrub-like
4. C. glandulosa
lb Leaves trifoliolate or pinnate, petiolate:
8a Branchlets spine-tipped; leaves trifoliolate:
9a Branchlets and leaves pilose to tomentose; leaflets broadly obovate or elliptic; flowers unisexual; fruit subglo-
bose; putamen rugose 2. C. africana
9b Branchlets and leaves glabrous or with a few scattered short hairs; leaflets elliptic or ovate; flowers bisexual or
unisexual; fruit subglobose or ellipsoid and apiculate; putamen rugose or smooth:
10a Branchlets and leaves glabrous; leaflet margins coarsely crenate-serrate; flowers bisexual only; fruit ellip-
soid and distinctly apiculate; pseudo-aril membranous and without distinct arms, putamen very rugose
1 . C. schimperi
10b Branchlets and leaves with a few scattered short hairs; leaflet margins entire or distal half finely crenate-
serrate; flowers bisexual or unisexual; fruit subglobose; pseudo-aril fleshy and with 4 arms, putamen
smooth 10. C. neglecta
8b Branchlets not spine-tipped; leaves trifoliolate or pinnate:
11a Leaves and young branchlets hairy:
12a Acroscopic margin of lateral leaflets incised to rachis but basiscopic margin decurrent along rachis 20. C. wildii
1 2b Both margins of lateral leaflets incised to rachis or petiolule:
13a Leaves pinnate, usually at least 6-jugate, leaflets abruptly acuminate at both ends, petiolules relatively
long and slender; pseudo-aril cupular with 4 arms of equal length reaching almost to apex of putamen
9. C. multi juga
8
Burseraceae
13b Leaves trifoliolate or pinnate but then usually less than 6-jugate, leaflets not abruptly acuminate at both
ends, petiolules of variable length; pseudo-aril cupular or with 2-4 arms or lobed:
14a Leaves pinnate, branchlets obtuse, petiole with medullary vascular bundles; fruit more than 15 mm in
diameter:
15a Tree with a single main stem; bark peeling in large yellowish papery pieces; leaves dark green,
leaflets obovate to broadly elliptic and not scabrous above; flowers hypogynous, disc pilose;
pseudo-aril yellow with 2 long commissural and 2 short facial arms 12. C. marlothii
15b Tree or many-stemmed shrub; bark flaking in small yellowish papery pieces; leaves greyish green,
leaflets narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate and scabrous above; flowers perigynous, disc glabrous;
pseudo-aril red, cupular with 4 short lobes 23. C. edulis
14b Leaves pinnate or trifoliolate; branchlets not obtuse, petiole without medullary vascular bundles; fruit
usually less than 15 mm in diameter:
16a Margin of leaflets entire; flowers with a fleshy disc; pseudo-aril with 2 long commissural arms and
2 shorter facial arms; bark not papery:
17a Leaflets elliptic, oblong-elliptic or obovate, apex not abruptly acuminate; young branchlets,
leaves and calyx without conspicuous golden glandular hairs; disc of flower 4-lobed
11. C. mollis
17b Leaflets ovate, broadly ovate, suborbicular or oblate, apex often abruptly acuminate; young
branchlets, leaves and calyx with conspicuous golden glandular hairs; disc of flower 8-lobed
14. C. mossambicensis
16b Margin of leaflets usually at least partly crenate-serrate; flowers without a fleshy disc; pseudo-aril
with 2 broad facial lobes; bark often papery:
18a Many-stemmed shrubs or bush; leaves always sparsely pilose to densely pubescent, petiole not
slender; pseudo-aril covering lower 'A-'A of putamen 23. C. angolensis
18b Tree with a single trunk: leaves glabrous, sparsely pilose to pubescent, petiole often slender;
pseudo-aril covering 'A-X of putamen 27. C. tenuipetiolata
1 1 b Leaves and young branchlets glabrous (irrespective of glandular hairs);
19a Leaves trifoliolate:
20a Leaflets linear, cultrate or narrowly oblanceolate and usually irregularly lobed, leaflets sessile or sub-
sessile:
21a Leaves up to 80 mm long, leaflets linear to cultrate, margin coarsely dentate-serrate; branchlets
slender; stamens 4 only; pseudo-aril present 16. C. gracilifrondosa
21b Leaves up to 20 mm long, leaflets cultrate or narrowly oblanceolate, margin entire (irrespective of
lobes); branchlets short and stout; stamens 8; pseudo-aril absent 31. C. cervifolia
20b Leaflets of variable shape but never linear or cultrate and never irregularly lobed, leaflets petiolate,
subsessile or sessile:
22a Margin of leaflets entire; flowers hypogynous with disc lobes not adnate to perianth; pseudo-aril with
4 arms of equal length reaching almost to apex of putamen; putamen with a prominent hump on the
less convex face:
23a Shrub with many stems of c. 25 mm in diameter sprouting from ground level; bark reddish brown,
usually not peeling 8. C. giessii
23b Shrub-like tree with a short trunk branching into relatively thick stems; bark yellowish white to sil-
very, peeling around the stem in papery strips 7. C. virgata
22b Margin of leaflets not entire; flowers perigynous with disc lobes adnate to hypanthium; pseudo-aril
absent or with arms or lobes of unequal length; putamen without a prominent hump on the less
convex face:
24a Leaflets narrowly oblanceolate to oblanceolate; stamens 4 only 17. C. oblanceolata
24b Leaflets cordate, obovate, orbicular or elliptic; stamens 8:
25a Petiole usually relatively long and slender; pedicel longer than 3 mm; pseudo-aril with 2 facial
lobes but without commissural arms; bark peeling 27. C. tenuipetiolata
25b Petiole relatively short and not slender; pedicel up to 1 mm long; pseudo-aril absent or with 2
commissural and 1-2 facial arms; bark usually not peeling:
26a Margin of leaflets undulate, crenate, or almost entire; pseudo-aril absent; fruit ellipsoid;
shrub-like tree with a short trunk branching near ground level into thick stems 30. C. capensis
26b Margin of leaflets finely crenate-serrate; pseudo-aril with 2 commissural and 1-2 facial arms;
fruit ovoid; shrubs with many relatively thin stems sprouting from ground level 15. C. dinteri
19b Leaves pinnate (occasionally trifoliolate in C. harveyi — no. 13):
27a Leaflets linear; pseudo-aril absent 29. C. kraeuseliana
27b Leaflets not linear (wider); pseudo-aril present:
28a Leaflets asymmetrical and abruptly acuminate at both ends 9. C. multijuga
Burseraceae
9
28b Leaflets symmetrical and not abruptly acuminate at both ends:
29a Leaflets suborbicular to oblate 22 C. saxicola
29b Leaflets oblanceolate, lanceolate or elliptic to ovate:
30a Leaflets with microscopic hairs; bark usually peeling in large brown papety pieces; flowers
hypogynous, disc not adnate to calyx or corolla; pseudo-aril with 4 arms 13. C. harveyi
30b Leaflets glabrous (irrespective of glandular hairs); bark not peeling; flowers perigynous, disc
adnate to hypanthium; pseudo-aril cupular without arms:
31a Margin of leaflets entire (sometimes finely serrate) 24. C. zanzibarica
31b Margin of leaflets crenate-serrate to coarsely crenate-serrate (sometimes entire in C. tenuipe-
tiolata — no. 27):
32a Leaflets lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate; petioles with medullary vascular bundles; fruit
ovoid and conspicuously beaked 26. C. crenato-serrata
32b Leaflets narrowly elliptic to elliptic; petioles without medullary vascular bundles; fruit sub-
globose and not beaked:
33a Young branches shallowly fluted and obtuse; bark not peeling; pedicel less than 1 mm
long; pseudo-aril cupular with 1 very short faciaLlobe 25. C. woodii
33b Young branches not fluted and not obtuse; bark peeling; pedicel more than 1 mm long;
pseudo-aril cupular with 2 facial lobes 27. C. tenuipetiolata
1. Commiphora schimperi (O. Berg)
Engl, in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 13 (1883);
Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boissier 7,2: 288
(1899); Engl, in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435,
t. 204 C-D (1931); Wild in F.Z. 2: 277 (1963);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Bothalia 1 1: 65, fig. 20-26
(1973). Syntypes: Ethiopia, Takazze, Schimper
624 (Bt; K, lecto.!); Schoata, Schimper 1139
(Bt; W!; G!); Schimper 1564 (Bt; W!; G!).
Balsamodendrum schimperi O. Berg in Bot. Ztg 20: 162
(1862). B. africanum sensu Oliv., F.T.A. 1: 325 (1868),
pro parte quoad specim. Schimper. Balsamea schimperi (O.
Berg) Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1: 41 (1881).
Commiphora betschuanica Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 149
(1910); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type:
Botswana, Mugnune, Seiner 64 (B, holo.t; K, fragment!;
BM, sketch!).
Shrub or small tree 2-6 m tall; bark peel-
ing in black discs or flaking in small yellowish
papery pieces; young branchlets glabrous,
spine-tipped. Leaves trifoliolate, glabrous,
green; petiole 5-30 mm long; leaflets elliptic to
broad elliptic; petiolules up to 2 mm long; mar-
gins coarsely crenate-serrate especially in the
upper half of leaflets, apex acute, base cuneate,
terminal leaflet up to 50x35 mm, lateral leaf-
lets up to 25x22 mm. Inflorescence', flowers
borne in clusters. Flowers bisexual only, hypo-
gynous. Pedicel 1-2 mm long and with a few
glandular hairs. Disc 4-lobed, not adnate to pe-
rianth. Stamens 8. Fruit ellipsoid and distinctly
apiculate, ± 17x10x10 mm, glabrous; puta-
men very rugose, pseudo-aril red, membra-
nous, covering almost the whole putamen.
Occurs in Botswana, northern Tvl. and Zululand. It
grows in savanna-woodland in well-drained, sandy soil.
Also recorded from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania,
Kenya and Ethiopia. Map 3.
Vouchers: Acocks 12993; Codd 6563; De Winter &
Killick 8885; Van der Walt 1 1 .
C. schimperi and C. africana (below), two closely
related species, are often confused and this is mainly due to
the similarity of the leaves. Besides many other differences
such as in flower and fruit structure, the two species can
also be distinguished on the hairiness of the leaves. The
leaves of C. africana are pilose to tomentose, while those of
C. schimperi possess only a few glandular hairs. A pungent
resin odour is emitted when fresh leaves are picked.
Common name: Glossy-leaved Corkwood.
2. Commiphora africana (A. Rich.)
Engl, in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 14 (1883);
Schweinf. in Bull. Herb. Boissier 7: 289
(1899); Hutch. & Dalz., F.W.T.A. 1: 488
(1928); Engl, in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 438
(1931); Exell & Mendonga in C.F.A. 1: 300
(1951); Irvine, Woody Plants Ghana 510
(1961); Wild in F.Z. 2: 276 (1963); Merxm. in
10
Burseraceae
F.S.W.A. 70: 4 (1968); Lisowski, Malaisse &
Symoens in Bull. Jard. bot. nat. Belg. 40: 357
(1970); J. J. A. v. d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 68,
fig. 27-32 (1973); in Mitt. bot. StSamml.,
Munch. 12: 202, fig. 1 (1975). Type: Senegal,
Kayar, Leprieur s.n. (P, holo., only photo seen;
isotypes!).
Heudelotia africana A. Rich, in Guill., Perr. & A. Rich.,
FI. Sen. 1: 150, t.39 (1832). Balsamodendrum africanum
(A. Rich.) Am. in Ann. nat. Hist. 3: 87 (1839); Oliv. in
F.T.A. 1: 325 (1868), pro parte excl. syn. B. schimperi et
vars.
Balsamodendrum kotschyi O. Berg in Bot. Ztg 20: 162
(1862). Balsamea kotschyi (O. Berg) Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1: 41
(1881). Type: Sudan, Nubia, Kotschy 271 (B, holo.t; K,
lecto. !; S ! ; W ! ; MEL!; BM!).
Commiphora pilosa (Engl.) Engl, in A. DC., Monogr.
Phan. 4: 12 (1883); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 440 (1931);
Chiov., FI. Somala 2: 124, t.85 (1932); Palgrave, Trees
Cent. Afr. 58, t. & photo (1956).
Balsamea pilosa Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1: 41 (1881). Type:
Tanzania, Zanzibar, Hildebrandt 1 184 (W, holo. !).
C. loandensis Engl, in Bot. Jb. 26: 370 (1899). Syntypes:
Angola, Luanda, Welwitsch 4497 (LISU, lecto.!; BM!);
4498 (BM!; LISU!); 4498b (BM!; LISU!); 4500 (BM!;
LISU!); 4501 (BM!;LISU!).
C. rubriflora Engl, in Bot. Jb. 30: 336 (1902). Type:
Tanzania, near Rukwa Lake, Goetze 1406 (B, holo.t; K,
fragment! and iso.!).
C. nkolola Engl, in Bot. Jb. 34: 308 (1905); in Pflanzen-
fam. edn 2,19a: 440 (1931). Type: Tanzania, Zanzibar
coastal area, Busse 528 (B, holo.t; K, fragment!).
C. sambesiaca Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 146 (1910); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 330 (1931); Bum Davy, FI. Transv. 2:
485 (1932). Type: Zambia, Kazungula, Seiner 90 (B, ho-
lo.t; K, fragment!).
C. calciicola Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 147 (1910); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 440 (1931); Bum Davy, FI. Transv. 2:
485 (1932). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Grootfontein; Dinter
820 (B, holo.t; K, fragment!; BM, sketch!).
Dioecious many-stemmed shrub usually
less than 1 m tall or small tree with a single
trunk up to 4 m tall; bark grey or greyish green,
occasionally flaking locally in small yellowish
papery pieces; young branchlets pilose to to-
mentose, mostly spine-tipped. Leaves trifolio-
late, pilose to tomentose, green; petiole 2-35
mm long; leaflets broadly obovate or broadly
elliptic, sessile or subsessile, margin coarsely
crenate or crenate-serrate, apex obtuse to acute,
base cuneate or truncate, terminal leaflet
(8— )18(— 65)x(6 — )13(— 50) mm, lateral leaflets
(4-)8(-35)x(3-)7(-30) mm. Inflorescence :
flowers borne in clusters. Flowers unisexual,
hypogynous, glabrous. Pedicel 1-2,5 mm long.
Disc 4-lobed, not adnate to perianth. Stamens
8. Fruit subglobose, ± 15x12x12 mm, gla-
brous; putamen very rugose; pseudo-aril red,
with 4 arms of variable size and form, often
also isolated fragments, 2 commissural arms
reaching almost to apex of putamen, 2 facial
arms of variable length.
Widely distributed in the northern part of S.W. A. /Na-
mibia, Botswana, northern Tvl., Swaziland and northern
Zululand. Usually grows in sandy well-drained soil in
shrub-thomveld, savanna-woodlands and broken mopani-
veld.
Also recorded from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ma-
lawi, Zambia, Angola, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia,
Uganda, Sudan, Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Mauritania,
Mali, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Zaire and Rwanda. Map 4.
Vouchers: Compton 29094; De Winter 3755; Killick &
De Winter 891 1; Van der Schijff 5237 .
Wild (1963) distinguishes var. africana and var. ru-
briflora (Engl.) Wild. The calyx and pedicels of var. rubri-
flora are hairy, while those of var. africana are glabrous.
As far as could be determined, only var. africana occurs in
the F.S.A. area.
Wild (1963) mentions that the pseudo-aril of C. afri-
cana is apparently absent. However, all the fruits of the
species studied possess a fleshy pseudo-aril.
According to Irvine (1961) the resin is used by the
natives for perfuming and fumigating huts. He also men-
tions that it has several medicinal uses, and it is also used as
a varnish. The species is easily grown from pole cuttings
which are often planted as fencing poles.
Common name: Hairy Corkwood.
3. Commiphora merkeri Engl, in Bot.
Jb. 44: 144 (1910); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a:
437 (1931); Wild in F.Z. 2: 269 (1963); J. J. A.
v.d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 63, fig. 14-19
(1973); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 12:
205, fig. 3, 26a & a, (1975). Type: Tanzania,
Nguruka, Merker 565 (B, holo.t; K, frag-
ment!).
C. viminea Burn Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 485 (1932);
Brenan in Kew Bull. 1953: 104 (1953). Type: Transvaal,
Messina, Moss & Rogers 184b (K, holo. !).
Burseraceae
11
Map 5. — Commiphora merkeri
Dioecious tree 2— 5 m tall with a single
trunk; bark grey with dark patches, peeling
around the stem in yellowish papery strips;
young branchlets glabrous, smooth, purplish,
often spine-tipped. Leaves simple but on long
shoots often trifoliolate with smaller lateral
leaflets, with long glandular hairs at base but
otherwise glabrous, glaucous, subsessile, mar-
gin crenate-serrate especially near apex, apex
acute to obtuse, base cuneate, lamina of simple
leaves/terminal leaflet narrowly obovate to
obovate or elliptic, 7-45x5-25 mm, lateral
leaflets elliptic, 5— 8x3— 5 mm. Inflorescence:
flowers borne in clusters. Flowers unisexual,
hypogynous, glabrous. Pedicel 2—10 mm long.
Disc 4-lobed, not adnate to perianth. Stamens
8. Fruit ellipsoid, 10x6x5 mm, glabrous,
apiculate; putamen rugose; pseudo-aril yellow,
covering the whole putamen except the apex.
Occurs in northern Tvl. from the border of Botswana in
the west to Mozambique in the east, but it is particularly
common north of the Soutpansberg. It is known from a few
localities in Kaokoland, S.W. A. /Namibia. Also recorded
from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya. Map 5.
Vouchers: Codd 4111, 4835; Giess 7727; Van der
Walt 6.
C. merkeri could be conspecific with C. ellenbeckii
Engl, and probably also with a few other central African
species. The fragment of the type specimen of C. merkeri at
Kew is very poor, and little is known of the pseudo-arils of
these allied species.
The stems often exude large quantities of resin.
Common name: Zebra-bark Corkwood.
4. Commiphora glandulosa Schinz in
Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 2,8: 633 (1908);
Exell & Mendonga in C.F.A. 1: 298 (1951);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 57, fig. 1—7
Map 6. — Commiphora glandulosa
(1973); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 12:
206, fig. 4 (1975). Syntypes: S.W. A. /Namibia,
Ombandja, Schinz 161 (Z, lecto.!); Ondonga,
Schinz s.n. (not seen).
C. pyracanthoides Engl, subsp. glandulosa (Schinz)
Wild in Bolm Soc. broteriana, ser. 2, 33: 44 (1959); in F.Z.
2: 268 (1963); Von Breitenbach, Ind. Trees S. Afr 3: 433
(1965); Merxm. inF.S.W.A. 70: 8 (1968).
C. lugardae N.E. Br. in Kew Bull. 1909: 99 (1909);
Miller in J 1 S. Afr. Bot. 18: 38 (1952). Type: Botswana,
Kwebe Hills, Lugard 23 (K, holo. !).
C. seineri Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 145 (1910); in Bot. Jb.
48: 480 (1913); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 437 (1931).
'Type: Zambia, Sesheko, Seiner 57 (B, holo.!; K, photo!;
BM, sketch!).
C. berberidifolia Engl, in Bot. Jb. 48: 480 (1913); in
Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 437 (1931). Type: S.W. A. /Nami-
bia, Okahandja, Waldau, Dinter 385 (B, holo.!; K, frag-
ment!).
Polygamous or dioecious tree with a single
trunk, 2-10 m tall, occasionally shrub-like;
bark yellowish green or greyish green, flaking
in small yellowish papery pieces; young
branchlets glabrous, spine-tipped. Leaves
usually simple but on long shoots often trifolio-
late with smaller lateral leaflets, with long glan-
dular hairs at base but otherwise glabrous,
green, subsessile, margin crenate-serrate, occa-
sionally almost entire, apex acute or obtuse,
base cuneate, lamina of simple leaves/terminal
leaflet obovate or elliptic (20— )35(— 65) x
(12— )25(— 45) mm, lateral leaflets elliptic,
(8— )15(— 30)X(4— )7( — 15) mm. Inflores-
cence: reduced cymes or flowers borne in clus-
ters. Flowers bisexual, occasionally unisexual,
hypogynous. Pedicel 0,5—1 mm long, pedicel
and calyx with large glandular hairs. Disc 4-
lobed, not folded, inside of lobes not grooved.
12
Burseraceae
Fig. 3. — Commiphora glandulosa: A, branchlet with flowers and young fruits; B-E, leaves; F, branchlet with leaves
and mature fruits.
F10- 4- — Flowers of Commiphora glandulosa: A, bisexual flower; B, bisexual flower with calyx and corolla partly
removed; C, diagrammatic representation of two disc lobes illustrating the insertion of the filaments; D, female flower; E,
female flower with the calyx and corolla partly removed.
14
Burseraceae
Fig. 5. Fruit of Commiphora glandulosa: A, side view of the fruit; B, view of the less convex face of putamen with
pseudo-aril; C, view of the more convex face of putamen with pseudo-aril; D, putamen and pseudo-aril as seen from above.
Burseraceae
15
not adnate to perianth. Stamens 8. Fruit subglo-
bose, ± 14x13x12 mm, glabrous; putamen
rugose, with a hump on less convex face;
pseudo-aril red, with 4 arms of equal length
reaching almost to apex of putamen. Figs 3, 4
& 5.
Widely distributed in S.W. A. /Namibia, Botswana,
northern Tvl. and northern Zululand. Particularly common
north of the Soutpansberg. Grows in sandy, well-drained
soil in savanna-woodland or in broken mopaniveld. Also
recorded from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and
Angola. Map 6.
Vouchers: Codd 4680; De Winter 404 1 ; Merxmiiller &
Giess 830; Van der Walt 14.
Wild in Bolm Soc. broteriana, ser. 2, 33: 43; 1959
considers this taxon to be a subspecies of C. pyracanthoides
Engl. (no. 5). This taxonomic change by Wild is based
mainly on observations made by Merxmiiller in
S.W. A. /Namibia where C. glandulosa occurs in tree and
shrub form. However, the flower, and fruit structure of
these two taxa differ to such a degree that they are con-
sidered to be different species.
It is easily grown from pole cuttings which are often
planted as fencing poles.
Common name: Tall Common Corkwood.
5. Commiphora pyracanthoides Engl, in
Bot. Jb. 26: 368 (1899); in Pflanzenfam. edn
2,19a: 437 (1931); Burtt Davy, FI. Transv.
2: 485 (1932); Wild in Bolm Soc. broteriana,
ser. 2, 33: 43, 82(1959); Wild in F.Z. 2: 268
(1963); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 8 (1968);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 60, fig.
8-13 (1973); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch.
12: 208, fig. 5, 29a & a, (1975). Type:
S.W. A. /Namibia, Otjimbingwe, Fischer 8
(holo.t; ?); Neotype: S.W. A. /Namibia, Little
Karas Mountains, Holoog, Pearson 9747 (K!).
Dioecious or polygamous many-stemmed
shrub, 0,5-3 m tall, occasionally a small tree
with single trunk up to 3 m tall; bark greyish
green or yellowish green, flaking in small yel-
lowish papery pieces; young branchlets gla-
brous, spine-tipped. Leaves usually simple but
on long shoots often trifoliolate with smaller
lateral leaflets, with long glandular hairs at base
but otherwise glabrous, green, subsessile, mar-
gin finely crenate- serrate, occasionally almost
entire, apex acute or obtuse, base cuneate, lam-
ina of simple leaves/terminal leaflet elliptic,
narrowly obovate or obovate, (16— )25(-55)x
(8— )16( — 32) mm, lateral leaflets narrowly
elliptic or elliptic, (4— )8(— 12) x (2— )3(— 10)
mm. Inflorescence: reduced cymes of flowers
borne in clusters. Flowers unisexual or bisex-
ual, hypogynous. Pedicel 0,5—1 mm long, pe-
Map 7. — Commiphora pyracanthoides
dicel and calyx without glandular hairs (gla-
brous). Disc 4-lobed, folded to form 4 large
lobes towards the outside, inside of lobes
deeply grooved, not adnate to perianth. Sta-
mens 8. Fruit ellipsoid to subglobose, ±
11x8x7 mm, glabrous; putamen rugose, with
a hump on less convex face; pseudo-aril red,
with 4 arms of equal length reaching almost to
apex of putamen.
Widely distributed in S.W. A. /Namibia, Botswana,
northern Tvl., Swaziland and northern Zululand. Known
from a few localities in northern Cape. It grows in sandy,
well-drained soil in savanna-woodland, shrub-thomveld
and broken mopaniveld. Also recorded from Zimbabwe and
Mozambique. Map 7.
Vouchers: Codd 4431; De Winter & Leistner 5115;
Van der Schijff 5217; Van der Walt 57, 76. ,
In certain areas of S.W. A. /Namibia it is impossible to
distinguish on habit alone between C. glandulosa (no. 4)
and C. pyracanthoides because both species can be either
shrub-like or small trees. When occurring together in the
same area, however, they can usually easily be distin-
guished as C. glandulosa is a small tree with a single bole
and C. pyracanthoides a small, often many-stemmed shrub.
The most reliable character for distinguishing flower-
ing material of the two species, are the glandular hairs
which occur on the calyx of only C. glandulosa. Flowers
should be examined carefully as the number of glandular
hairs varies considerably, and they are also usually present
on the bracteoles of both species.
Common name: Common Corkwood.
6. Commiphora discolor Mendes in Bolm
Soc. broteriana, ser. 2, 41: 155; t. 1 & 2 (1967);
Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 6 (1968); J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in Madoqua ser. 1: 10, t. 11-13 (1974);
in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 204, fig. 2
(1975). Type: Angola, Huila, Mendes 1693
(LISC, holo.!; BM!; COI!).
16
Burseraceae
Dioecious tree 3— 9 m tall with a single
trunk; bark yellowish white, peeling around the
stem in papery strips; young branchlets gla-
brous, often spine-tipped. Leaves usually
simple but on long shoots often trifoliolate with
smaller lateral leaflets, glabrous, dark green
and shiny, subsessile, margin entire, subentire
or crenate-serrate, lamina of simple leaves
broadly elliptic to suborbicular, 30-60x
25-40 mm, apex truncate or acute, base trun-
cate or cuneate, leaflets of trifoliolate leaves
elliptic to broadly elliptic, sessile or subsessile,
apex acute, base cuneate, terminal leaflet
28-70x12-50 mm, lateral leaflets 14-32x
7—15 mm. Inflorescence : flowers borne in re-
duced cymes, glabrous. Flowers unisexual, hy-
pogynous, subsessile, glabrous. Disc not seen.
Stamens 8. Fruit subglobose, ± 9x8x8 mm,
glabrous; putamen smooth; pseudo-aril with 4
(3) arms of equal length reaching almost to apex
of putamen.
Apparently confined to the north-western part of
Kaokoland in S.W. A. /Namibia and Angola. It grows on
rocky hills and mountain slopes. Map 8.
Vouchers: De Winter & Leistner 5490; Van der Wall
& Giess 29 1 .
The papery bark peeling around the stem resembles
that of C. merkeri (no. 3). Mendes (1967) mentioned in-
stances of a climbing habit in his description of this species.
Common name: Kaoko Corkwood.
7. Commiphora virgata Engl, in Bot. Jb.
19; 139 (1894); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19a: 433
(1931); Exell & Mendon$a in C.F.A. 1: 300
(1951); Merxm. inF.S.W.A. 70; 9 (1968); J. J.
A. v.d. Walt in Dinteria 9: 23, 24 (1973); in
Madoqua ser. 1: 20, t. 34-36 (1974); in Mitt.
bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 209, fig. 6, 26b &
b, (1975). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Sorris-Sor-
ris, Giirich 68 (B, holo. t; BM, sketch!).
Dioecious shrub-like tree 0,5-3 m tall,
branching near ground level into relatively thick
stems; bark yellowish white to silvery, peeling
around the stems in papery strips of the same
colour; young branchlets glabrous, slender and
often drooping, not spine-tipped. Leaves trifo-
liolate, glabrous; petiole 2-15 mm long; leaf-
lets narrowly obovate, elliptic or broadly ellip-
tic; petiolules less than 1 mm long; margin en-
tire, apex obtuse, seldom retuse or acute, base
cuneate, terminal leaflet (4-)12(-25)x(2-)7
(-10) mm, lateral leaflets (4 — )10( — 15)x(2 — )
5(— 7) mm. Inflorescence : reduced cymes, gla-
brous, or flowers solitary. Flowers unisexual,
hypogynous, subsessile, glabrous. Disc 4-
lobed, not adnate to perianth. Stamens 8. Fruit
irregularly subglobose, ellipsoid or obovoid, ±
8x7x7 mm, glabrous; putamen rugose, with a
prominent hump on upper half of less convex
face; pseudo-anl white to reddish, with 4 arms
of equal length reaching almost to apex of puta-
men, in some cases also isolated fragments.
Occurs in S.W. A. /Namibia on the edge of the Namib
Desert, and it has been collected from Ombepera in the
north to Solitaire in the south It usually grows on rocky
hills or stony slopes. Map 9.
Vouchers: De Winter 3147; De Winter & Leistner
5663; MerxmiiUer & Giess 928.
C. virgata is closely related to C. giessii (no. 8) and
their leaves, flowers and fruits are very similar. The differ-
ences between the two species have been discussed in detail
by Van der Walt (1973)
Common name: Slender Corkwood.
Burseraceae
17
8. Commiphora giessii J. J. A. v.d. Walt
in Dinteria 9: 23—28, fig. 1-5 (1973); in
Madoqua ser. 1: 11, t. 14—16 (1974); in Mitt,
bot. StSamml., Miinch. 12: 210, fig. 7 (1975).
Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, near Sesfontein, Van
der Walt 242 (PRE, holo. ; WIND; STE; M).
Dioecious shrub, 1,5-3 m tall, many
stems of ± 25 mm in diameter sprouting from
ground level; bark reddish brown and usually
not peeling; young branchlets glabrous, very
slender, often drooping, not spine-tipped.
Leaves trifoliolate, glabrous; petiole 5-25 mm
long; leaflets elliptic to narrowly obovate; pe-
tiolules less than 1 mm long; margin entire,
apex acute or obtuse, base cuneate, terminal
leaflet (10— )12(— 45)x(5— )10(— 25) mm, late-
ral leaflets (10— )15(— 35)x(5— )7(— 15) mm.
Inflorescence : reduced cymes, glabrous, or
flowers solitary. Flowers unisexual, hypogy-
nous, subsessile, glabrous. Disc 4-lobea, not
adnate to perianth. Stamens 8. Fruit irregularly
obovoid or subglobose, ± 6x5x5 mm, gla-
brous; putamen slightly rugose, with a promi-
nent hump on upper half of less convex face;
pseudo- anl reddish, with 4 thin arms of equal
length reaching almost to apex of putamen.
Confined to Kaokoland in S.W. A. /Namibia where it
is known from Okonjombo to Sesfontein. It is very common
north-west of Sesfontein where it grows on the slopes of
mountains, on hills and also in valleys. This area is hot and
arid with an annual rainfall of ± 250 mm. Map 10.
Vouchers: De Winter & Leistner 5713, 5869; Giess &
Leippert 7418.
C. giessii differs from C. virgata (no. 7) in habit and
bark characteristics. The short trunk of C. virgata branches
into relatively thick stems, and its bark peels off in yellow-
ish white to silvery papery strips (Van der Walt, 1973).
Common name: Brown-stem Corkwood.
9. Commiphora multijuga (Hiern) K.
Schum. in Just’s bot. Jber. 27: 480 (1901);
Exell & Mendonga in C.F.A. 1: 302 (1951);
Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 7 (1968); J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in Madoqua ser. 1: 15, t. 24—26 (1974);
in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Miinch. 12: 213, fig.
27a & a,, 29C & C, (1975). Type: Angola,
Mossamedes, between Cazimba and Pomang-
ala. Welwitsch 4503 (BM. holo.!; LISU!).
Dioecious tree 3-8 m tall, usually with a
single trunk; bark reddish grey to dark grey,
smooth, not peeling but in some cases cracked
on old trunks; young branchlets sparsely pubes-
cent or pubescent. Leaves pinnate, 4—10-
jugate, sparsely pubescent or almost glabrous;
petiole 15-40 mm long, slender; leaflets asym-
metrically elliptic, broadly elliptic or rotund but
abruptly acuminate at both ends, (12— )18
(-25) x (10 — )13(— 20) mm; petiolules 5-15
mm long, slender, margin entire, apex acute,
base cuneate. Inflorescence-, simple or com-
pound dichasial cymes or thyrsoid, up to 50 mm
long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Flowers
unisexual, perigynous. Pedicel 1—4 mm long,
pedicel and calyx glabrous or sparsely pube-
scent. Petals conspicuously recurved. Disc 4-
lobed, upper part of lobes free but lower part
adnate to hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit subglo-
bose, c. 15 x 15 x 14 mm, glabrous; putamen
smooth; pseudo- aril red, cupular with 4 arms of
equal length reaching almost to apex of puta-
men.
Occurs in S.W. A. /Namibia, mainly in Kaokoland
from the Kunene River southwards to Welwitschia. Also
recorded from Angola. Map 1 1 .
Vouchers: De Winter & Leistner 5233; Merxmiiller &
Giess 1383; Van der Walt & Giess 291.
18
Burseraceae
C. multijuga is distinguished by its typical pale green-
ish leaves which contrast well against the dark bark. The
graceful leaves with drooping leaflets are very aromatic.
Large quantities of colourless, pungent and sticky resin
exude when twigs are cut.
Common name: Purple-stem Corkwood.
10. Commiphora neglecta Verdoorn in
Bothalia 6: 214 (1951); Wild in F.Z. 2: 271
(1963); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 71,
fig. 33-38 (1973). Type: Transvaal, Skukuza,
Codd & Verdoorn 5498 (PRE, holo. !).
Polygamous or dioecious many-stemmed
shrub or small tree up to 8 m tall; bark grey to
green, smooth or flaking in small yellowish
papery pieces; young branchlets with a few
short hairs, spine-tipped. Leaves trifoliolate,
with a few short hairs, green; petiole 5—45 mm
long; leaflets elliptic or ovate to broadly ovate;
petiolules usually less than 1 mm long; margins
entire or upper half finely crenate-serrate, apex
acute, base cuneate, terminal leaflet up to 45 x
30 mm, lateral leaflets up to 30 x 22 mm.
Inflorescence : axillary dichasial cymes or flow-
ers borne in clusters. Flowers bisexual or uni-
sexual, hypogynous, Pedicel 2-5 mm long,
pedicel and calyx often with a few short hairs.
Disc 4-lobed, not adnate to perianth. Stamens
8. Fruit subglobose, ± 15 x 14 x 14 mm,
glabrous; putamen smooth; pseudo-aril red,
with 4 arms, 2 commissural arms reaching al-
most to apex of putamen, 2 facial arms shorter.
Occurs in central and northern Tvl., and is widely
distributed in Natal, being particularly common in northern
Zululand. It usually grows on the slopes of mountains or in
sandy, well-drained soil. Also recorded from Mozambique.
Map 12.
Vouchers: Codd 4821, 664 1 ; De Winter 8985; Van der
Walt 69.
C. neglecta differs from related species in its particular
combination of characteristics rather than in any single
outstanding feature. This is probably the reason why it was
described only in 195 1 .
Although plants in nature only develop trifoliolate
leaves, it has been observed that leaves of pole cuttings can
be pinnate with two pairs of lateral leaflets.
Common name: Sweet-root Corkwood.
11. Commiphora mollis (Oliv.) Engl, in
A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 23 (1883); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931); Burtt Davy, FI.
Transv. 2: 484 (1932); Brenan in Kew Bull.
1950: 367 (1950); Exell & Mendon$a inC.F.A.
1: 298 (1951); in F.Z. 2: 273 (1963); Merxm. in
F.S.W.A. 23: 7 (1968); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in
Bothalia 11: 73, fig. 39-44 (1973); in Mitt,
bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 211, fig. 8 (1975).
Type: Mozambique, Chiramba, between Tete
ana coast, Kirk s.n (K, holo. !).
Balsamodendrum molle Oliv. in F.T.A. 1: 326 (1868).
Balsamea mollis (Oliv.) Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1: 42 (1881).
Commiphora welwitschii Engl, in A. DC., Monogr.
Phan. 4: 22 (1883); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931);
Type: Angola, Huila, Welwitsch 4493 (G, holo. , only photo
seen;LISU!).
C. cinerea Engl, in Bot. Jb. 19: 139 (1895); in Pflanzen-
fam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Otji-
tambi, Giirich 21 (B, holo.f; K, fragment!).
C. stuhlmannii Engl., Pflanzenw. Ost.-Afr. C: 230
(1895); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931); Type: Tan-
zania, Bukombe, Stuhlmann 3450 (B, holo.t; K. fragment!;
BM, sketch!).
C. dekindtiana Engl, in Bot. Jb. 34: 312 (1905); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Angola, Huila, Ben-
guela, Dekindt 225 (B, holo.t; K, fragment!).
C. heterophylla Engl, in Bot. Jb. 34: 312 (1905); in
Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Tanzania, Kili-
mandiaro area between Taveta and Bura, Engler 1906 (B,
holo.T; K, fragment!).
C. montana Engl, in Bot. Jb. 34: 312 (1905); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Angola, Huila, Ben-
guela, Dekindt 46 (B, holo.t; K, fragment!).
C. krausei Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 152 (1910); Pflanzen-
fam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Tanzania, Tabora, Von
Trotha 8a (B, holo.t; K, fragment!).
C. iringensis Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 150 (1910); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Tanzania, Uhehe,
Spiegel sub Amani Herbarium 2507 (B, holo.t; EA!).
C. boehmii Engl, in Bot. Jb. 48: 472 (1913); in Pflanzen-
fam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Syntypes: Tanzania, Gonda,
Bohm 281 (B t; K, fragment, lecto. !); Salanda, Fischer 292
(Bt; K, fragment!).
C. ndemfi Engl, in Bot. Jb. 54: 293 (1917); in Pflanzen-
fam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Tanzania, Urambo,
Stolz 1678 (B, holo.t; K!, lecto.!; Z!; P!).
Dioecious tree 3—8 m tall with a single
trunk; bark brown to greyish green, usually
peeling in thick discs; young branchlets spar-
Burseraceae
19
sely pilose to densely pubescent, not spine-
tipped. Leaves pinnate, 2-6-jugate, occasion-
ally trifoliolate, sparsely pilose to tomentose,
greyish green but usually distinctly paler and
more hairy below; petiole 10-30 mm long;
leaflets elliptic or oblong-elliptic but terminal
leaflet often obovate (7 — )24(— 52) x (4-) 11
(-35) mm, sessile or subsessile but petiolule of
terminal leaflet up to 15 mm long, margin en-
tire, apex acute to obtuse, base cuneate to
broadly cuneate. Inflorescence : simple or com-
pound dichasial cymes up to 40 mm long,
pilose to pubescent. Flowers unisexual, hypo-
gynous. Pedicel 3—8 mm long, pedicel, calyx
and corolla pilose to pubescent. Disc 4-lobed,
not adnate to perianth. Stamens 8. Fruit subglo-
bose, 15x13x13 mm, pilose to pubescent;
putamen smooth; pseudo-aril with 4 winged
arms, 2 commissural arms reaching almost to
apex of putamen, 2 facial arms shorter.
Widely distributed in the northern part of S.W.A ./
Namibia, Botswana and northern Tvl. Grows on stony hills
or well-drained sandy soil in savanna- woodland. Also
recorded from Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania,
Angola and Zaire. Map 13.
Vouchers: De Winter 7544; Giess & Muller 11801;
Meeuse 10573; Van der Walt 77.
The variation in hairiness of the young stems and
leaves, as well as the variation in the form and size of the
leaflets, can account for the many synonyms.
This species is easily grown from pole cuttings which
are often planted as fencing poles. The young branches are
grazed by cattle and game .
Common name: Velvet Corkwood.
12. Commiphora marlothii Engl, in Bot.
Jb. 44: 155 (1910); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a:
438 (1931); Palgrave, Trees Cent. Afr. 55, t. &
photo (1956); Wild in F.Z. 2: 281 (1963);
Lisowski, Malaisse & Symoens in Bull. Jard.
bot. nat. Belg. 40: 360 (1970); J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in Bothalia 11: 78 (1973). Syntypes: Zim-
babwe, Matopos, Marloth 3397 (Bt; PRE, lec-
to.!;K, fragment!); Marloth 3402 (Bt).
Dioecious tree up to 9 m tall; bark peeling
in large yellowish papery pieces; young branch-
lets obtuse, densely pilose to pubescent. Leaves
pinnate, 3-5-jugate, pubescent to tomentose,
dark green; petiole 15—95 mm long, with me-
dullary vascular bundles; leaflets obovate to
broadly elliptic; petiolules 1-2 mm long; mar-
gins crenate-serrate to finely lobed, apex obtuse
to acute, base cuneate or rounded, terminal
leaflet up to 80x40 mm, lateral leaflets up to
60x35 mm. Inflorescence: axillary, paniculate
simple or compound dichasial cymes. Flowers
unisexual, hypogynous. Pedicel less than 1 mm
long, pedicel and calyx pubescent. Petals pilose
outside. Disc 4-lobed, pilose, not adnate to
perianth. Stamens 8. Fruit subglobose, ±
20x17x16 mm, pilose; putamen slightly ru-
gose; pseudo-aril yellow, with 4 arms, 2 com-
missural arms reaching almost to apex of puta-
men, 2 facial arms shorter and of different
lengths.
Widely distributed in northern Tvl. and also known
from Botswana. It usually grows on arid mountain slopes or
granite hills. Also recorded from Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Map 14.
Vouchers: Codd & De Winter 5534; De Winter 7083;
Gerstner 6043; Van der Walt 49;
The papery bark has been used as writing paper.
Common name: Paperbark Corkwood.
20
Burseraceae
13. Commiphora harveyi (Engl.) Engl.
in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 25 (1883); in
Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931); Burtt
Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 484 (1932); Henkel,
Woody PI . Natal 213 (1934); J. J. A. v.d. Walt
in Bothalia 11: 76, fig. 45-50 (1973). Type:
Natal, Durban, Gerrard & McKen 689 (TCD,
holo.!; K!).
Balsamea harveyi Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1: 42 (1881).
Protium africanum Harv. in F.C. 2: 592 (1862); Swart,
Monog. Protium 393 (1942).
Dioecious tree 4-18 m tall; bark peeling
in large brown papery pieces or in thicker discs;
young branchlets fluted and with a few very
short hairs. Leaves pinnate, 2-3-jugate, occa-
sionally trifoliolate, with a few very short hairs,
green; petiole 10—60 mm long; leaflets lanceo-
late to elliptic to ovate; petiolules 5—15 mm
long; margins crenate-serrate to coarsely cre-
nate-serrate, apex acute, base cuneate, terminal
leaflet up to 80x30 mm, lateral leaflets up to
60x25 mm. Inflorescence : axillary paniculate
cymes. Flowers unisexual, hypogynous. Pedi-
cel 2-3 mm long, pedicel and calyx with a few
very short hairs. Disc 4-lobed, not adnate to
perianth. Stamens 8. Fruit subglobose, ±
14x12x12 mm, glabrous, putamen smooth;
pseudo-aril light red, with 4 arms, 2 commissu-
ral arms reaching almost to apex of putamen, 2
facial arms of variable length but shorter.
Occurs in north-eastern Tvl., eastern Tvl., Swaziland,
Transkei and eastern Cape as far south as East London, but
it is widely distributed in Natal and Zululand. It usually
grows on the slopes of mountains or in kloofs as part of
coastal forests. Also recorded from Mozambique. Map 15.
Vouchers: Acocks 12984; Codd & De Winter 3259;
Compton 29733; Van der Walt 95.
C. harveyi is easily grown from pole cuttings which
are often planted as fencing poles.
Common name: Red-stem Corkwood.
14. Commiphora mossambicensis (Oliv.)
Engl, in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 26 (1883);
Wild in F.Z. 2: 274, t. 51 fig. C (1963); in Mitt,
bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 214, fig. 10
(1975). Type: Malawi, Shire River, Kirk s.n.
(K, holo.!).
Protium ? mossambicense Oliv. in F.T.A. 1: 329 (1868).
Commiphora fischeri Engl, in Bot. Jb. 15: 97 (1893);
Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Tanzania, sine
loco, Fischer 131 (B, holo.t; K, fragment!).
C. stolzii Engl, in Bot. Jb. 54: 292 (1917); Pflanzenfam.
edn 2,19a: 435, fig. 203 (1931); Miller in J1 S. Afr. Bot. 18:
39 (1952). Type: Tanzania, Kyimbila, Stolz 1725 (B,
holo.t; Z!;K!;BM!).
Dioecious tree 3-10 m tall; bark grey,
smooth, not peeling; young branchlets sparsely
pilose to densely pubescent with hairs and
golden glandular hairs, not spine-tipped.
Leaves trifoliolate or more rarely pinnate (2-
jugate), sparsely pilose to densely pubescent
with hairs and golden glandular hairs, bright
green; petiole 50-80 mm long; leaflets ovate,
broadly ovate, suborbicular or oblate, 15-70x
10-85 mm; petiolules 2-10 mm long; margin
entire, apex often abruptly acuminate, base
truncate. Inflorescence', tnyrsoid, up to 70 mm
long, sparsely pilose to densely pubescent with
hairs and golden glandular hairs. Flowers uni-
sexual, perigynous. Pedicel 1-2 mm, pedicel,
calyx and corolla sparsely pilose to densely
pubescent with hairs and golden glandular
hairs. Disc with 4 large and 4 small lobes, up-
per part of lobes free and lower part adnate to
Burseraceae
21
hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit subglobose,
± 12x11x8 mm, sparsely pilose; putamen
smooth; pseudo-aril with 2 commissural arms
reaching almost to apex of putamen and 2 facial
arms reaching three-quarters of the way up-
wards.
Within the F.S.A. area C. mossambicensis is known
from Mpilila Island in the Capri vi strip and Botswana. Also
recorded from Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania,
Zambia and Zimbabwe. Map 16.
Vouchers: Killick & Leistner 3365; Leach & Noel 6;
Pole Evans 3233.
Common name: Pepper-leaf Corkwood.
15. Commiphora dinteri Engl, in Bot.
Jb. 44: 151 (1910); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a:
438 (1931); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 6 (1968);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Madoqua ser. 1: 9, t. 7-10
(1974); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 12:
215, fig. 11, 28c & c„ 29d & d, (1975). Svn-
pes: S.W. A. /Namibia, Omatako, (sphalm.
malako) Dinter 1393 (B,t); sine loco, Dinter
1477 (B,t; Z!; K, fragment!).
Dioecious shrub 0,5-3 m tall, many rela-
tively thin stems sprouting from ground level;
bark yellowish green to greyish brown with
dark spots, smooth, not peeling; young branch-
lets glabrous, usually slender, not spine-tipped.
Leaves trifoliolate, glabrous, green; petiole
2—18 mm long; leaflets obovate or broadly
elliptic, subsessile, margin usually finely
crenate-serrate, apex obtuse, seldom truncate or
retuse, base cuneate, terminal leaflet (6-) 14
(-22)x(4-)10(-15) mm, lateral leaflets (4-)
9(-12)X(2-)6(-9) mm. Inflorescence : flow-
ers solitary. Flowers unisexual, perigynous,
subsessile. Calyx glandular, otherwise gla-
brous. Disc 4-lobed, adnate to hypanthium.
Stamens 8. Fruit ovoid, ± 11x8x8 mm, api-
culate, glabrous; putamen smooth; pseudo-aril
red, cupular with 4 (3) arms, 2 commissural
arms reaching almost to apex of putamen, facial
arms much shorter, arm on more convex face of
putamen often completely undeveloped.
Occurs in S.W. A. /Namibia, mainly in the Namib
Desert or on its fringes. It is known from Orupemba south-
wards to the Zaris mountains near Maltahohe, and
eastwards to Rehoboth. Map 17.
Vouchers: De Winter & Leistner 5737; Merxmuller <&
Giess 935; Van der Walt 267 .
The leaves of specimens collected near Orupemba are
relatively large. Exceptionally large leaves of other species
of Commiphora are also known from this part of Kaoko-
land.
Herbarium specimens of C. dinteri and C. capensis
(no. 30) with leaves only, could be confused. The fruit of
C. dinteri, however, has a pseudo-aril which is completely
lacking in C. capensis.
Common name: Namib Corkwood.
16. Commiphora gracilifrondosa Dinter
ex J. J. A. v.d. Walt in J1 S. Afr. Bot. 37: 190
(1971); in Bothalia 11: 95, fig. 94-99 (1973);
in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 216, fig.
12 (1975): Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Warmbad,
near Auros, Dinter 5124 (BOL, holo.; S!; K!;
Bt).
Dioecious shrub-like tree 1-3 m tall,
trunk branching above ground level into thick
stems with succulent appearance; bark reddish
brown with dark spots, not peeling; young
branchlets glabrous, slender, not spine-tipped.
Leaves trifoliolate with the terminal leaflet of-
ten irregularly lobed, glabrous, green; petiole
4—20 mm long; leaflets linear to cultrate but
very variable in size and form, sessile or sub-
sessile, margin irregularly and rather coarsely
dentate- serrate, apex obtuse to acute, base
cuneate, terminal leaflet (15-)25(-45)x
( 10— )15( — 20) mm, lateral leaflets (7— )20
( — 35) x 1 — 2 mm. Inflorescence : dichasial
cymes up to 50 mm long, sparsely glandular, or
flowers solitary. Flowers unisexual, perigy-
nous. Pedicel 1 -4 mm long, pedicel, calyx and
hypanthium sparsely glandular. Disc 4-lobed,
adnate to hypanthium. Stamens 4 only. Fruit
subglobose to ellipsoid, ± 10x8x7 mm, gla-
brous; putamen smooth; pseudo-aril cupular
with 2 long commissural arms, covering lower
quarter of more convex face of putamen and
lower half of other face .
22
Burseraceae
Map 18. — Commiphora gracilifrondosa
Map 19. — Commiphora oblanceolata
Occurs in north-western Cape and southern part of
S.W. A. /Namibia. It has been collected from Goodhouse in
the west to Kenhardt in the east where it grows on the arid
mountains along the Orange River. Map 18.
Vouchers: Acocks 21795; Giess & Muller 12147; Van
der Walt 124.
The relatively large leaves with characteristic leaflets,
distinguish this species from others with a similar habit.
Young branches are browsed by goats and game. The
local name of ‘Suikerkan’ is probably derived from the
sweet taste of the wood.
Common name: Kairee Corkwood.
17. Commiphora oblanceolata Schinz in
Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 2, 8; 633 (1908);
Engl, in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19a: 435 (1931);
Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 7 (1968); J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in J1 S. Afr. Bot. 37: 196 (1971); in
Madoqua ser. 1: 16, t. 27-29 (1974); in Mitt,
bot. StSamml., Miinch. 12: 217, fig. 13
(1975). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Kaokoveld,
Kan-Tal, Dinter 1497 (Z, holo.!; K!; W!).
Dioecious shrub-like tree, 1-3 m tall,
trunk branching above ground level into thick
stems with succulent appearance; bark grey to
dark grey, smooth, not peeling; young branch-
lets glandular but otherwise glabrous, not spine-
tipped. Leaves trifoliolate, glandular, green; pe-
tiole 3-25 mm long; leaflets narrowly oblan-
ceolate to oblanceolate, (7-)13(-45)x (3-)4
(-9) mm, sessile or subsessile, margin finely
serrate-dentate or almost entire, apex obtuse,
base cuneate. Inflorescence : simple dichasial
cymes up to 10 mm long, glandular, or flowers
solitary. Flowers unisexual, perigynous. Pedi-
cel 0,4-1 mm long, pedicel and calyx sparsely
glandular. Disc 4-lobed, adnate to hypanthium.
Stamens 4 only. Fruit subglobose, ± 9x8x8
mm, glabrous; putamen and pseudo-aril not
seen.
Occurs in the north-western part of S.W.A./Namibia
from Swartbooisdrif in the north to the Namib Desert Park
in the south. It is common on the farm Palmenhorst where it
grows on the slopes of the arid mountains near the Swakop
River. Map 19.
Vouchers: Giess 9342; Kotze 92; Merxmiiller <& Giess
1751.
C. oblanceolata and C. gracilifrondosa (no. 16) are
the only two species with the reduced number of four sta-
mens per flower. They can, however, easily be distin-
guished on leaf characteristics (Van der Walt, 1971).
The leaves of specimens collected in northern Kaoko-
land, are decidedly larger than those of the specimens
occurring south.
Common name: Bastard Karree Corkwood.
18. Commiphora namaensis Schinz in
Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 2, 8: 633 (1908);
Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 7 (1968); J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in Bothalia 11: 92, fig. 88—93 (1973); in
Mitt. bot. StSamml., Miinch. 12: 218, fig. 14
(1975). Type: S.W.A./Namibia, Inachab,
Dinter 958 (Z, holo.!; M, fragment!).
C. rotundifolia Dinter & Engl, in Bot. Jb. 46: 289
(1912); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19a: 438 (1931). Type:
S.W.A./Namibia, Seeheim, Dinter 1203 (B, holo.!; K,
fragment!).
Dioecious shrub-like tree 0,5-3 m tall,
trunk branching above ground level into many
relatively thin stems; bark light grey, not peel-
ing; young branchlets glabrous, not spine-
tipped Leaves simple but on long shoots occa-
sionally trifoliolate with lateral leaflets a quarter
to a third the size of terminal leaflet, glabrous,
green; petiole 3-7 mm long; lamina rotund or
Burseraceae
23
orbicular, (5-)9(-15)x(4-)7(-12) mm,
margin serrate-dentate, apex obtuse, base cu-
neate. Inflorescence : flowers in clusters. Flow-
ers unisexual, perigynous, subsessile, glabrous.
Disc 4-lobed, adnate to hypanthium. Stamens
8. Fruit subglobose or ellipsoid, 10x8x7 mm,
glabrous; putamen slightly rugose; pseudo-aril
red, cupular with 2 commissural arms, covering
the lower third of the more convex face of puta-
men and the lower half of the other face.
C. namaensis shows a disjunct distribution pattern. It
has been collected in the Brandberg area, but its main centre
of distribution is in the southern part of S.W. A. /Namibia
and north-western Cape where it grows in the mountains
near the Orange River from Goodhouse westwards. This
area is extremely dry and hot with an annual rainfall of less
than 80 mm. Map 20.
Vouchers: Acocks 18168; Merxmiiller & Giess 1688;
Van der Walt 113, 120.
Trifoliolate leaves were seen on long shoots of plants
growing near Uis. Similar leaves and transitional forms of
simple to trifoliolate leaves also developed on plants culti-
vated at Stellenbosch.
Common name: Nama Corkwood.
19. Commiphora glaucescens Engl, in
Bot. Jb. 10: 283 (1888); in Pflanzenfam. edn
2,19a: 435 (1931): Exell & Mendonca in
C.F.A. 1,2: 302 (1951); Merxm. in F.S.W.A.
70: 6 (1968); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Madoqua ser.
1: 12, t. 17— 20 (1974); in Mitt. bot. StSamml.,
Munch. 12: 219, fig. 15, 28a & a, , 29e & e,
(1975). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Usakos, Mar-
loth 1306 (Bt).
C. pruinosa Engl, in Bot. Jb. 26: 368 (1899); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia,
Otyimbingue, llse Fischer 168 (B, holo.t; K, fragment!;
BM, sketch!).
C. hereroensis Schinz in Bull. Herb. Boissier, ser. 2, 8:
632 (1908). Syntypes: S.W. A. /Namibia, Potmine, Ubib,
Fleck 447 & 742 (Z!).
Dioecious tree 2— 8 m tall with a single
trunk or shrub-like tree 1 -2 m tall with a trunk
branching near ground level; bark yellowish
brown to reddish brown, peeling in papery
pieces or discoid flakes of the same colour;
young branchlets glabrous or sparsely pilose to
densely pilose, not spine-tipped. Leaves
simple, glabrous or sparsely pilose to densely
pilose, glaucous or pale green, subsessile, ellip-
tic or broadly elliptic seldom obovate, (15 — )40
(— 100) x (8— )25(-60) mm, margin entire,
apex usually truncate, seldom retuse or acute,
base truncate or cuneate. Inflorescence : simple
or compound dichasial cymes or thyrsoid, up to
80 mm long, glabrous or pilose to densely pi-
lose, often with leaf-like bracts up to 10x7
mm. Flowers unisexual, perigynous. Pedicel
2-10 mm long, pedicel, calyx and corolla gla-
brous or sparsely pilose to pilose. Disc 8-lobed,
upper part of lobes free but lower part adnate to
hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit ellipsoid, ±
11x6x4 mm, glabrous or pilose; putamen
smooth; pseudo-aril red, cupular with 4 or 3
short lobes, covering lower quarter to third of
putamen, 2 commissural lobes slightly longer
than 2 facial lobes, lobe on more convex face of
putamen in some cases undeveloped.
Widely distributed in the western part of S.W. A. /Na-
mibia. It occurs from the northern border of Kaokoland to
Maltahohe in the south, and it has been collected as far east
as Grootfontein. Also recorded from Angola. Map 21 .
Vouchers: De Winter & Giess 7103; Merxmiiller &
Giess 909; Van der Walt 236, 254.
Differences in habit, colour of the bark, size and de-
gree of hairiness of the leaves, occur among representatives
24
Burseraceae
from different geographical areas. In the southern and east-
ern parts of its distribution range, C. glaucescens is a shrub
with spreading, procumbent branches with small and gla-
brous leaves. In Kaokoland single-boled trees with large
and very hairy leaves are found.
Elephants and other game browse on the young shoots
and branches.
Common name: Blue-leaved Corkwood.
20. Commiphora wildii Merxm., in Mitt,
bot. StSamml., Munch. 3: 609 (1960); in
F.S.W.A. 70: 9 (1968); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in
Madoqua ser. 1: 21, t. 37-39 (1974); in Mitt,
bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 222, fig. 17, 27b &
b, , 29g & g! (1975). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia,
Kaokoland, W. of Sanitatas, Merxmuller &
Giess 1453 (M, holo.!; PRE!).
Dioecious shrub-like tree 1-2,5 mm tall,
trunk branching above ground level into rela-
tively thick stems; bark grey-brown, shiny,
smooth, occasionally peeling in papery strips;
young branchlets pubescent to densely pubes-
cent, often very short and stout. Leaves pinna-
tely lobed or divided, (l-)2-4-jugate, pubes-
cent to densely pubescent, glaucous; petiole
3-15 mm long; leaflets usually asymmetrically
obovate or elliptic, (7 — )20( — 25) x (4 — ) 1 0
(-12) mm, sessile, acroscopic margin incised
to rachis but basiscopic margin decurrent along
rachis, margin entire, apex obtuse or emargi-
nate, seldom acute. Inflorescence : simple or
compound dichasial cymes or thyrsoid, up to 40
mm long, pilose to densely pilose, or flowers
solitary. Flowers unisexual, perigynous. Pedi-
cel 2-6 mm long, pedicel, calyx and corolla
sparsely pilose to densely pilose. Disc 8-lobed,
adnate to hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit ovoid
to subglobose, ± 11x10x9 mm, puberulous;
putamen smooth; pseudo-aril yellow to orange,
cupular with 2-4 short lobes, commissural
lobes slightly longer than facial lobes, covering
lower quarter of putamen.
Occurs in S.W. A. /Namibia mainly on the edge of the
Namib Desert, and it is found from the northern border of
Kaokoland to Uis in the south. Also recorded from Angola..
Map 22.
Vouchers: De Winter & Hardy 8170; De Winter &
Leistner 5712; Giess 9714.
C. wildii is an attractive shrub with the glaucous leaves
and shiny, grey-brown bark contrasting well against the
black dolomite rocks on which it is often found. The leaves
are characteristically lobed and resemble those of an oak.
Common name: Oak-leaved Corkwood.
21. Commiphora anacardiifolia Dinter
& Engl, in Bot. Jb. 48: 475, fig. 2B-Bb
(1912); Engl, in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435
(1931); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 5 (1968);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Madoqua ser. 1: 7, t. 1—3
(1974); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 221,
fig, 16, 29f & fl (1975). Type: S.W.A./Nami-
bia, Haobes, Dinter 1492 (B, holo.t; K, frag-
ment and photo of holo.!; BM, sketch of
holo.!).
Dioecious tree 5— 10 m tall with a single
trunk; bark yellowish brown, peeling in large
apery pieces of the same colour; young
ranchlets pilose, obtuse. Leaves simple, pi-
lose, dark green, sessile or subsessile, excep-
tionally large, (70— )130 (-200) x (30-) 80
(-140) mm, narrowly elliptic to broadly ellip-
tic, midrib prominent, margin entire, apex ob-
tuse, base cuneate. Inflorescence', thyrsoid, up
to 200 mm long, many-flowered, pilose. Flow-
ers unisexual, perigynous. Pedicel 2-4 mm
long, pedicel, calvx and corolla sparsely pilose
or pilose. Disc 8-lobed, upper part of lobes free
but lower part adnate to hypanthium. Stamens
8. Fruit ovoid or obovoid, ± 15x11x10 mm,
glabrous; putamen smooth; pseudo-aril yellow
to orange, cupular with 4 short lobes, covering
lower quarter to third of putamen.
S.W. A. /Namibia, apparently confined to a small area
in Kaokoland on the fringe of the Namib Desert, from the
Sanitatas area in the north to Twyfelfontein in the south.
Map 23.
Vouchers: De Winter & Leistner 5671; Giess 12610;
Merxmuller 1434; Van der Walt 246.
The papery bark is typical of Commiphora, and the
relatively large leaves are an outstanding characteristic to
identify the species.
Common name: Large-leaved Corkwood.
Burseraceae
25
22. Commiphora saxicola Engl, in Bot.
Jb. 10: 283 (1888); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a:
437 (1931); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 8 (1968);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Madoqua ser. 1: 18, t.
30-33 (1974); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch.
12: 224, fig. 19, 28b & b„ 29h & h, (1975).
Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Walvis Bay, Marloth
1221 (B, holo. t; PRE!).
C. dulcis Engl, in Bot. Jb. 19: 141 (1894). Type:
S.W. A. /Namibia, Tsoachoub near Husab, Gtirich 6 (?).
Dioecious shrub-like tree or small tree
0,2-4 m tall with trunk 0,1 - 1,5 m long; bark
S, finely pitted, smooth, not peeling; young
chlets with glandular hairs but otherwise
glabrous, not spine-tipped. Leaves pinnate,
2-6-jugate, with glandular hairs but otherwise
glabrous, green; petiole 3-35 mm long; leaflets
suborbicular to oblate, (3— )12(— 17)x(3— )
12(— 17) mm; petiolules less than 1 mm long;
margin rather coarsely crenate-serrate, apex
emarginate or truncate, base cuneate or trun-
cate. Inflorescence: raceme or thyrsoid up to 60
mm long, with glandular hairs. Flowers unisex-
ual, perigynous, subsessile. Pedicel, calyx,
corolla and ovary with glandular hairs. Disc
obscurely 8-lobed, adnate to hypanthium. Sta-
mens 8. Fruit oblong-ellipsoid, ± 10x6x6
mm, glabrous; putamen smooth; pseudo-aril
orange, cupular without any lobes, covering
lower third of putamen.
Occurs mainly on the fringe of the Namib Desert from
Sesfontein in the north to Nauchas in the south. It grows on
rocky hills or stony slopes but is also found on sandy flats.
Map 24.
Vouchers: De Winter 3137; De Winter & Hardy 8167;
Merxmiiller & Giess 30668; Van der Walt 273.
The habit of C. saxicola is decidedly variable. Close to
the west coast, north-east of Henties Bay, it is a small low-
growing shrub with thick procumbent stems. More inland it
is a single-boled tree attaining a height of up to four metres.
Common name: Rock Corkwood.
23. Commiphora edulis (Klotzsch) Engl.
in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 22 (1883); in
Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931); Wild in
F.Z. 2: 279 (1963); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Botha-
lia 11: 81, fig. 57-62 (1973); in Mitt. bot.
StSamml., Munch. 12: 223, fig. 18 (1975).
Type: Mozambique, Sena, Peters s.n. (B, holo.
t; K!).
Hitzeria edulis Klotzsch in Peters, Reise Mossamb., Bot.
1:89(1861).
Commiphora chlorocarpa Engl, in Bot. Jb. 28: 414, t. IN
(1901); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931). Type: Tan-
zania, Ruaha River, Goetze 452 (B, holo. t).
Dioecious many-stemmed shrub or small
tree 2— 6 m tall; bark light grey, smooth or flak-
ing in small yellowish papery pieces; young
branchlets densely pubescent, obtuse. Leaves
pinnate, 2-6-jugate, pubescent, but scabrous
above, greyish green; petiole 30—80 mm long,
with medullary vascular bundles; leaflets nar-
rowly elliptic to narrowly ovate, (30-)50
(— 65)x (20-)22(— 30) mm; petiolules 4-10
mm long; margin usually entire, seldom finely
crenate-serrate, apex acute or rounded, base ob-
tuse. Inflorescence: compound dichasial cymes
or thyrsoid up to 150 mm long, pubescent.
Flowers unisexual, perigynous. Pedicel 1 — 1,5
mm long, pedicel, calyx and hypanthium pu-
bescent. Disc much reduced without distinct
lobes, adnate to hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit
subglobose, ± 24x23x23 mm, pilose; puta-
26
Burseraceae
men smooth; pseudo-aril red, cupular with 4
short lobes, covering lower third of putamen.
Occurs on Mpilila Island in the Caprivi strip
(S.W. A. /Namibia), Botswana and northern Tvl. where it is
particularly common in the vicinity of the Limpopo River.
It grows in savanna-woodland or broken mopaniveld in
well-drained, sandy soil. Also recorded from Zimbabwe,
Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. Map 25.
Vouchers: Codd & Dyer 4653; Killick & Leistner
3337; Van der Schijff 5222; Van der Walt 24.
Gillett (pers. comm.) suggested that C. edulis is con-
specific with C. boiviniana Engl. Several Kew specimens
of the different subspecies of C. boiviniana were studied
and compared with specimens of C. edulis. Differences in
the size and shape of the leaflets exist between the subspe-
cies of C. boiviniana and C. edulis, but the flowers and
fruits have basically the same structure. Medullary vascular
bundles which occur in the petiole of C. edulis, are also
found in the petioles of all the subspecies of C. boiviniana.
It seems likely therefore that C. edulis and C. boiviniana are
conspecific.
C. edulis is one of the first Commiphora species of
northern Transvaal to shed its leaves, the plants being leaf-
less as early as March.
The fruits are eaten by birds, rodents and baboons.
Common name: Rough-leaved Corkwood.
branchlets shallowly fluted, glabrous. Leaves
pinnate, 3-5-jugate, glabrous, green; petiole
15-60 mm long; leaflets oblanceolate to nar-
rowly elliptic; petiolules 2-5 mm long; mar-
gins entire to finely serrate, apex obtuse to
acute, base cuneate to rounded, terminal leaflet
up to 70x35 mm, lateral leaflets up to 70x25
mm. Inflorescence: axillary, paniculate, simple
or compound dichasial cymes. Flowers uni-
sexual, perigynous. Pedicel 40-60 mm long,
pedicel and calyx glabrous. Disc 4-lobed, ad-
nate to hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit subglo-
bose, ± 18x15x15 mm, glabrous; putamen
smooth; pseudo-aril red, cupular, covering
lower third to half of putamen.
So far this species has only been collected in Transvaal,
near the Kumane Dam in the Kruger National Park and in
Natal on the Makatini Flats in northern Zululand where it
grows in deep sandy soil in savanna- woodland. Also re-
corded from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zanzibar, Tanzania
and Kenya. Map 26.
Vouchers: Garland 314; Van Wyk 4874, 4917; White
10439.
Common name: Lebombo Corkwood.
24. Commiphora zanzibarica (Baill.)
Engl, in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 28 (1883);
in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 433 (1931); Wild in
F.Z. 2: 279 (1963); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Botha-
lia 11: 85, fig. 69-74 (1973). Type: Tanzania,
Zanzibar, Jablonski s.n. (P, holo.f).
Balsamea zanzibarica Baill. in Adansonia 11: 180
(1874); Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1:42(1881).
Commiphora spondioides Engl, in Bot. Jb. 26: 371
(1899); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19a: 433 (1931). Type: Mo-
zambique, Maputo, Schlechter 1 1559 (B, holo. ! ; K!).
Dictecious tree, often many-stemmed and
up to 7 m tall; bark grey, not peeling; young
25. Commiphora woodii Engl, in Bot.
Jb. 15: 97 (1893); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a:
435 (1913); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Bothalia 11:
83, fig. 63—68 (1973). Syntypes: Natal, Dur-
ban, Wood sub NH 861 (BT:; BM, lecto. !);
Pinetown, Rehmann s.n. (Bt?); Inanda, Reh-
mann s.n. (Bt?).
C. caryaefolia Oliv. in Hooker’s Icon. PI. 23: t. 2287
(1894); Engl, in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 435 (1931); Hen-
kel, Woody PI. Natal 213 (1934). Syntypes: Natal, Durban,
Wood 4095 (NH, lecto.!; BOL!); Inanda, Wood 1046
(NH!); Wood 1409 (not seen); Flanagan 1 107 (Z!).
Burseraceae
27
Dioecious tree up to 12 m tall; bark grey
and not peeling; young branchlets shallowly
fluted, obtuse, glabrous. Leaves pinnate, 3—5-
jugate, glabrous, green; petiole 30-90 mm
long; leaflets narrowly elliptic to elliptic; petio-
lules 2-5 mm long; margins crenate-serrate to
coarsely crenate-serrate, apex acute, base
cuneate to rounded, terminal leaflet up to
120x50 mm, lateral leaflets up to 130x50 mm.
Inflorescence : axillary, paniculate, simple or
dichasial cymes. Flowers unisexual, perigy-
nous. Pedicel less than 1 mm long, pedicel and
calyx glabrous. Disc 4-lobed, adnate to hypan-
thium. Stamens 8. Fruit subglobose, ±
20x19x18 mm, glabrous; putamen smooth;
pseudo-aril red, cupular with 1 very short facial
lobe, covering lower third of putamen. Figs 6, 7
Occurs near the coast from Zululand southwards to
East London. It usually grows on the slopes of mountains or
in kloofs as part of coastal forests. Also recorded from
Mozambique. Map 27.
Vouchers: Codd 1906; De Winter & Vahrmeijer 8481;
Moll & Morris 663; Pegler 1137.
C. woodii and C. zanzibarica (no. 24), two closely
related species, can be distinguished on features of the in-
florescences, flowers and fruit. The inflorescences and
flowers of C. zanzibarica are relatively long. Medullary
vascular bundles occur in the petioles of C. zanzibarica but
are absent in those of C. woodii. The leaves of C. woodii
and C. harveyi (no. 13) are sometimes also confused. Very
short hairs occur on the leaves of C. harveyi while those of
C. woodii are glabrous.
C. woodii grows easily from pole cuttings which are
often planted as fencing poles. Gum is prepared from the
bark.
26. Commiphora crenato-serrata Engl.
in Bot. Jb. 19: 140 (1894); in Pflanzenfam. edn
2,19a: 438 (1931); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 5
(1968); J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Madoqua ser. 1: 8,
t. 4-6 (1974); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch.
12: 226, fig. 20, 29i & i, (1975). Type:
S.W. A. /Namibia, Fransfontein, Giirich 71 (B,
holo.t; BM, sketch ofholo.!).
Dioecious tree 3-10 m tall with a single
trunk; bark light grey to pale brown, pitted,
smooth, not peeling; young branchlets with
large glandular hairs but otherwise glabrous,
conspicuously scarred, obtuse. Leaves pinnate,
3— 7-jugate, with large glandular hairs on
petiole, rachis and veins of leaflets but other-
wise glabrous, green; petiole 40—80 mm long,
with medullary vascular bundles; leaflets
usually lanceolate, seldom narrowly lanceolate,
(30-)60(-100)x(10— )20(-40) mm; petio-
lules 5—20 mm long; margin crenate-serrate,
apex acuminate, base truncate. Inflorescence
and flowers not seen. Fruit ovoid, ±
20 x 10 x 10 mm, conspicuously beaked, with a
few glandular hairs; putamen smooth; pseudo-
aril red, cupular with 0-4 short lobes, covering
lower third to half of putamen.
Occurs mainly in Kaokoland from the Swartbooisdrif
area in the north to Fransfontein in the south. It is also
common on rocky outcrops of dolomite ridges near Otjova-
sandu in the Etosna National Park. Map 28.
Vouchers: Hardy 2082; Tinley 1249; Van der Walt
249.
C. crenato-serrata is often confused in the field with
Kirkia acuminata Oliv. which it resembles superficially.
The trees bear large quantites of fruit from December to
April. A whitish-coloured resin with an aromatic odour is
exuded when leaves or branchlets are picked.
Common name: Damara Corkwood.
Common name: Forest Corkwood.
Map 28. — Commiphora crenato-serrata
28
Burseraceae
Fig. 6 — Commiphora woodii: A, branchlet with a leal and (lowers; B, branchlet with a leaf and mature fruits.
Burseraceae
29
FIG. 7. — Flowers of Commiphora woodii. A, male flower; B, longitudinal section of male flower; C, female flower;
D. female flower with the calyx and corolla partly removed.
30
Burseraceae
RG. 8. — Fruit of Commiphora woodii: A, side view of the fruit; B, view of the less convex face of putamen with
pseudo-aril; C, view of the more convex face of putamen with pseudo-aril; D, putamen and pseudo-aril as seen from above.
Burseraceae
31
27. Commiphora tenuipetiolata Engl, in
Bot. Jb. 48: 483, fig. 3L (1913); in Pflanzen-
fam. edn 2,19a: 438 (1931); Wild in F.Z. 2:
280 (1963); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 9 (1968);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 87, fig.
75-81 (1973); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch.
12: 227, fig. 21, 29j & j, (1975). Syntypes:
S.W. A. /Namibia, Otjiwarongo, Sesfontein,
Dinter 1721 (Bt; K, fragment!; BM, sketch!);
S.W. A. /Namibia, Bulspoort, Dinter 2109 (Bt;
K, fragment!).
Dioecious tree with a single trunk 2- 12 m
tall, occasionally shrub-like tree with a short
trunk; bark peeling in yellowish white papery
pieces to expose a blue-green underlayer or
peeling in thick brownish discs; young branch-
lets glabrous, sparsely pilose but rarely pubes-
cent, not spine-tipped. Leaves trifoliolate (then
mostly glabrous) or pinnate, 2-4-jugate (then
usually sparsely pilose to pubescent, occasion-
ally also with glandular hairs), glaucous, yel-
lowish green or green; petiole 7-50 mm long,
usually relatively thin and slender especially in
trifoliolate leaves; upper three-quarters of leaf-
let margin crenate-serrate, lower quarter suben-
tire or entire, occasionally exclusively entire,
terminal leaflet elliptic, broadly elliptic or obo-
vate, 12-65x7-30 mm; petiolule 1 — 4( — 12)
mm long; apex acute or obtuse, base cuneate
rarely obtuse, lateral leaflets elliptic to broadly
elliptic rarely suborbicular, 6-45x4-25 mm,
subsessile or sessile, apex acute rarely obtuse,
base cuneate or obtuse. Inflorescence: simple or
compound dichasial cymes up to 55 mm long,
glabrous, sparsely pilose or pubescent. Flowers
unisexual, perigynous. Pedicel 4-10 mm long,
Eedicel, hypanthium and calyx usually gla-
rous, seldom pilose, occasionally also with
glandular hairs. Disc reduced, without distinct
lobes, adnate to hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit
subglobose, ± 15x13x10 mm, glabrous;
pseudo-aril cupular with 2 facial lobes of varia-
ble length and form covering lower third to
three-quarters of putamen; lobe on less convex
face or putamen usually longer and larger than
other lobe.
Occurs in the northern part of S.W. A. /Namibia,
Botswana and northern Tvl. where it is particularly com-
mon north of the Soutpansberg. Grows in sandy, well-
drained soil. Also recorded from Zimbabwe. Map 29.
Vouchers: Codd 4836; De Winter & Hardy 8065; Van
derWaltb 1,284.
It is usually almost impossible to distinguish between
C. angolensis (no. 28) and hairy forms of C. tenuipetiolata,
using leaf characters alone. The glabrous forms of C. tenui-
petiolata usually have trifoliolate leaves with a thin and
slender petiole, whereas the hairy forms have trifoliolate or
pinnate leaves with a ‘normal’ petiole.
Common name: White-stem Corkwood.
28. Commiphora angolensis Engl, in
A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 24 (1883); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 438 (1931); Exell & Men-
doza in C.F.A. 1: 300 (1951); Wild in F.Z. 2:
281 (1963); Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 5 (1968);
J. J. A. v.d. Walt in Bothalia 11: 90, fig.
82-87 (1973); in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch.
12: 229, fig. 22, 29k & k, (1975). Syntypes:
Angola, Luanda, Welwitsch 4485 (LISU,
lecto.!); sine loco 4488 (G, only photo, seen;
LISU!).
Balsamea angolensis (Engl.) Hiem, Cat. Afr. PI. Welw.
1:24(1896).
Commiphora oliveri Engl, in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4:
24 (1883); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a: 438 (1931). Type:
Botswana, Baines s.n. (K, holo.!).
C. rehmannii Eng. in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 15
(1883). Type: Transvaal, Rehmann s.n. (B, holo.t; K, frag-
ment and photo, of holo.!; BM, sketch of holo.!); Klippan,
Rehmann 5324 (Z, lecto. !).
C. longebracteata Engl, in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 19
(1883); in Pflanzenfam. edn 2,19a; 438 (1931). Type: An-
gola, Welwitsch 4494 (G, holo., only photo, seen; LISU!).
C. kwebensis N.E. Br. in Kew Bull. 1909: 98 (1909).
Syntypes: Botswana, Kwebe Hills, Lugard 34 (K \)',Lugard
86 (K, lecto.!).
C. gossweileri Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 147 (1910). Type:
Angola, Luanda, Gossweiler 442 (B, holo.t; K, lecto.!;
BM!).
C. nigrescens Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 148 (1910); in Pflan-
zenfam. edn 2,19a: 438 (1931). Syntypes: S.W. A. /Nami-
bia, Grootfontein, Dinter 727 (B,f; K, fragment!); Dinter
727a (Bt; BM, sketch, lecto.!).
32
Burseraceae
Dioecious many-stemmed shrub or bush
0,5-2, 5 m tall; bark grey to dark grey with
brownish lenticels, often flaking locally in yel-
lowish papery pieces; young branchlets sparsely
pilose to densely pubescent, not spine-tipped.
Leaves trifoliolate or pinnate, 2— 4-jugate, spar-
sely pilose to densely pubescent, green; petiole
5-22 mm; upper three-quarters of leaflet mar-
gin crenate-serrate, lower quarter subentire to
entire, terminal leaflet elliptic to broadly elliptic
rarely obovate, (10— )16( — 32)x(7— )10(— 20)
mm; petiolule 1 — 3( — 9) mm; apex acute, rarely
obtuse, base cuneate, rarely obtuse, lateral leaf-
lets elliptic to broadly elliptic, rarely suborbicu-
lar, (5— )12(— 30)x(4— )8(— 18) mm, subses-
sile or sessile, apex acute, rarely obtuse, base
cuneate or obtuse. Inflorescence : simple or
compound dichasial cymes up to 50 mm long,
sparsely pilose to densely pubescent. Flowers
unisexual, perigynous. Pedicel 2-5 mm long,
pedicel, hypanthium, calyx and corolla sparsely
pilose to densely pubescent. Disc reduced
without distinct lobes, adnate to hypanthium.
Stamens 8. Fruit subglobose or ellipsoid, ±
13x11x9 mm, pilose; putamen smooth;
seudo-aril cupular with 2 facial lobes of varia-
le length ana form, covering lower quarter to
half of putamen, lobe on less convex face of
putamen usually longer than other lobe.
Widely distributed in the northern part of S.W.A./
Namibia and also known from Botswana and a few locali-
ties in northern Tvl. It grows in deep sandy soil presumably
derived from the Kalahari. Also recorded from Angola,
Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Map 30.
Vouchers: Codd 5857; De Winter 3668; Giess 9742;
Van der Wall 25.
In the Transvaal, C . angolensis and C. tenuipetiolata
(no. 27), are two clearly delimited species, easily distin-
guishable by the indumentum of the branchlets and leaves.
The branchlets and leaves of C. angolensis are sparsely
pilose to densely pubescent but those of C. tenuipetiolata
are glabrous. In this area the two species may occur to-
gether, C. angolensis as a many-stemmed shrub and C.
tenuipetiolata as a tree with a single trunk.
Near Ohopoho in S.W.A. /Namibia these two species
also occur together with the respective habits as in the
Transvaal. The leaves of C. tenuipetiolata in this area, how-
ever, are hairy as those of C. angolensis.
Common name: Sand Corkwood.
29. Commiphora kraeuseliana Heine in
Senckenberg. biol. 37: 493, fig. 1 & 2 (1956);
Merxm. in F. S.W.A. 70: 7 (1968); J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in Madoqua ser. 1: 14, t. 21-23 (1974);
in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 231, fig.
23, 29 (1975). Type: S.W.A. /Namibia, Tafel-
berg near Petrified Forest, Krausel 634 (FR,
holo.!;M!).
Dioecious shrub 1— 2 m tall with many
relatively thin and slender stems sprouting from
ground level; bark greyish brown or yellowish,
peeling at the base of the stems in brownish
papery pieces; young branchlets glabrous,
scarred, relatively short and stout. Leaves pin-
nate, 6-8-jugate, glabrous, green; petiole
5-25 mm long; leaflets linear, (10— )15(— 25)
x0,5-l mm, sessile, margins entire. Inflores-
cence: thyrsoid, up to 60 mm long, villous,
with large bracts up to 7x 1 mm. Flowers uni-
sexual, perigynous. Pedicel 4-8 mm long,
pedicel, calyx and corolla villous or sparsely
villous. Disc 8-lobed, adnate to hypanthium.
Stamens 8. Fruit subglobose, ± 20x20x18
mm, glabrous; putamen smooth; pseudo-aril ab-
sent.
Occurs in the north-western part of S.W.A. /Namibia.
It has only been collected in the vicinity of the Brandberg
and further north in Kaokoland. Map 3 1 .
Map 31 . — Commiphora kraeuseliana
Burseraceae
33
Vouchers: De Winter & Leistner 5719; Giess 3692;
Story 5729.
The feathery leaves with linear pinnae are atypical of
Commiphora. A very unpleasant odour is exuded when
branchlets or fruits are picked. It has been reported that the
seeds are eaten by local peoples.
Common name: Feather-leaved Corkwood.
30. Commiphora capensis (Sond.) Engl.
in A. DC., Monogr. Phan. 4: 18 (1883);
Merxm. in F.S.W.A. 70: 5 (1968); J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in Bothalia 11: 96, fig. 100-105 (1973);
in Mitt. bot. StSamml., Munch. 12: 232, fig.
24 (1975). Type: N.W. Cape, between Natvoet
and Orange River, Drege 6809 (ex parte) (S,
holo.!; G!; MEL, fragment!).
Balsamodendrum capense Sond. in F.C. 1: 526 (1860).
Balsamea capensis (Sond.) Engl, in Bot. Jb. 1: 42
(1881).
Commiphora rangeana Engl, in Bot. Jb. 44: 149 (1910);
in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19a: 438 (1913). Type: S.W. A. /Na-
mibia, Kovies Mountains, Range 172 (B, holo.t; BOL!).
C. ruquietiana Dinter & Engl, in Bot. Jb. 48: 482
(1913). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Rotkop, Dinter 1023 (B,
holo. t; SAM!).
Dioecious shrub-like tree 0,5-4 m tall,
trunk branching near ground level into thick
stems with succulent appearance; bark yellow-
ish brown with dark patches, usually not peel-
ing but occasionally flaking locally in small
papery pieces; young branchlets glabrous, not
spine-tipped. Leaves trifoliolate, glabrous,
green; petiole 1-10 mm long; leaflets cordate,
obovate or occasionally orbicular; petiolules
0,5-2 mm long; margin undulate or crenate,
occasionally almost entire, apex emarginate or
obtuse, base cuneate, seldom truncate, terminal
leaflet (4 — )9( — 18)x(3 — )8( — 14) mm, lateral
leaflets (3 — )6( — 1 3) x (2 — )5( — 10) mm. Inflo-
rescence: simple dichasial cymes up to 10 mm
long, glandular, or flowers solitary. Flowers
unisexual, perigynous. Pedicel 0,5-1 mm
long, calyx and hypanthium fleshy, calyx,
hypanthium and corolla glandular. Disc 4-
lobed, adnate to hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit
ellipsoid, ± 12x 10x6 mm, glabrous; putamen
smooth; pseudo-aril absent.
Confined to the semi-desert areas of north-western Cape
and southern S.W. A. /Namibia. It grows in the mountains in
the vicinity of the Orange River from Goodhouse westwards
to the Richtersveld. These areas are extremely dry and hot
with an annual rainfall of less than 80 mm. Map 32.
Vouchers: De Winter & Hardy 7918; Giess 2355;
Merxmiiller & Giess 3113.
C. capensis is closely related to C. cer\ifolia (no. 31)
and they can be distinguished on leaf characteristics. As in
the case of C. cervifolia, but to a lesser extent, the living
shoots on being touched, exude an aromatic secretion in
such quantities that the stems become wet.
The fruits are eaten by animals.
Common name: Namaqua Corkwood.
31. Commiphora cervifolia J. J. A. v.d.
Walt in J1 S. Afr. Bot. 37: 189 (1971); in Botha-
lia 11: 99, fig. 106-111 (1973); in Mitt. bot.
StSamml., Munch. 12: 233, fig. 25 (1975).
Type: N.W. Cape, 8 km S. of Vioolsdrif, Van
der Walt 128 (PRE, holo.!; PRU!).
Dioecious shrub-like tree 0,5-3 m tall,
trunk branching near ground level into thick
stems with a succulent appearance; bark greyish
green to yellowish brown with dark patches, not
peeling; young branchlets glabrous, short and
stout. Leaves trifoliolate, glabrous, green; pe-
tiole 2-5 mm long; leaflets cultrate or narrowly
oblanceolate and usually irregularly lobed,
(2 — )7( — 12)x(l — )2( — 3) mm, sessile, margin
entire irrespective of lobes, apex acute to ob-
tuse, base cuneate. Inflorescence : dichasial
cymes up to 10 mm long, glandular, or flowers
solitary. Flowers unisexual, perigynous. Pedi-
cel 1 — 1,5 mm long, calyx and hypanthium
fleshy and glandular. Disc 4-lobed, adnate to
hypanthium. Stamens 8. Fruit ellipsoid, ±
11x10x6 mm, glabrous; putamen smooth;
pseudo-aril absent.
Confined to the semi-desert areas of southern
S.W. A. /Namibia and north-western Cape. It has been col-
lected in the vicinity of Ai-Ais, at Goodhouse and near
Vioolsdrif. The annual rainfall in these areas is less than 80
mm. Map 33.
Vouchers: Van der Walt 264, 304, 306.
34
Burseraceae
C. cen'ifolia is closely related to C. capensis (no. 30)
and they have many characteristics in common, especially
as far as habit and external features of stems and fruits are
concerned. The leaflets of C. capensis, however, are rotund
or obovate to cordate and not irregularly lobed such as those
of C. cervifolia.
Living shoots, on being touched, exude an aromatic
secretion in such quantities that the stems become wet.
Common name: Antler-leaved Corkwood.
Possible new species of Commiphora from
S.W. A. /Namibia
Merxmiiller (1968) mentions four specimens (De
Winter & Leistner 5670, De Winter & Leistner 5876; Giess
8921 and Merxmiiller & Giess 1430) which resemble C.
saxicola (no. 22) in some characters but differ from it in
others. Duplicates of these specimens were examined, and
the following deductions made:
(1) Medullary vascular bundles are lacking in the pe-
tioles of C. saxicola but they are present in the petioles of
the specimens Merxmiiller & Giess 1430 and Giess 8921.
They are lacking in the petioles of De Winter & Leistner
5670 and 5876. It can therefore be concluded that the speci-
mens Merxmiiller & Giess 1430 and Giess 8921 represent a
taxon other than C. saxicola.
(2) Merxmiiller & Giess 1430 and Giess 8921 have
medullary vascular bundles in the petioles, a character typi-
cal of C. crenato-serrata (no. 26). As Merxmiiller (1968)
points out, there is also a similarity between the leaves of C.
crenato-serrata and those of Merxmiiller & Giess 1430.
The pseudo-aril of the latter specimen, however, has two
short facial lobes and no commissural lobes, and is there-
fore not typical of C. crenato-serrata. More material is
needed to solve this taxonomic problem.
(3) The specimens De Winter & Leistner 5670 and
5876 may belong to the same taxon. Both were collected
from small trees with a grey, non-flaking bark, with leaflets
of more or less equal size, and with glandular hairs. The
obvious difference between the specimens lies in the shape
of the leaflets.
Mendes (pers. comm.) expressed the opinion that the
specimens De Winter & Leistner 5876 and Menezes 413
(from Angola, LISC) represent the same taxon and possibly
a new species ( C . crassifoliolata Mendes, nom. prov.).
Flowers and fruits of this supposedly new species are
needed to determine whether it really differs from C. saxi-
cola.
Merxmiiller (1968) also mentions two specimens (De
Winter & Leistner 5121 and Giess, Volk & Bleissner 6093)
with typical and atypical characters of C. crenato-serrata.
Mendes (pers. comm.) proposed that the specimens De
Winter & Leistner 5121 and Keet 1622 (PRE) represent the
same taxon and possibly a new species (C. macrofoliolata
Mendes, nom. prov.). Also in this case, it is impossible to
make a final decision on the validity of this proposed new
species without flowering and fruiting material.
Ptaeroxylaceae
35
PTAEROXYLACEAE
by F. White* and B. T. Styles*
Dioecious, aromatic trees or shrubs with indistinct oil cavities in the younger parts. Leaves
opposite, paripinnate, without stipules. Flowers unisexual, in contracted thyrses, actinomorphic.
Sepals 4, free almost to the base, with open aestivation. Petals 4, free, imbricate. Stamens 4, free,
alternating with the petals; filaments glabrous. Disc well-developed, broadly annular, intrastami-
nal. Ovary superior, laterally compressed, 2-locular, with axile placentation; ovules 1 per loculus,
descending, with adaxial rhaphe; style about half as long as the ovary; stigmas 2, large, capitate,
spreading. Capsule splitting into 2 persistent, bilobed valves; central column breaking up into a
number of fibrous strands. Seeds with a long terminal wing.
A small family with two genera. The monotypic Ptaeroxylon is confined to the African mainland. Cedrelopsis Baill.,
with at least 7 species, occurs in Madagascar. It differs from Ptaeroxylon in having 5 sepals, 5 petals and 5 stamens and
3-5 bi-ovulate carpels.
Ptaeroxylon had been placed by most earlier workers in Sapindaceae or Meliaceae, more rarely in Rutaceae. The
family Ptaeroxylaceae was tentatively suggested by Sonder (in F.C. 1: 242, 1860) and formally proposed by Leroy (in C.r.
hebd. Seanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 248: 106, 1959, and in J. Agric. trap. Bot. appl. 7: 456, 1960).
The secondary xylem and pollen grains of Ptaeroxylon differ from all known Meliaceae. Ptaeroxylon also lacks
limonoids, a group of tri-terpene derivatives which characterize Meliaceae and Rutaceae (D. A. H. Taylor, pers. comm.).
The Ptaeroxylaceae share a few features of wood anatomy with Rutaceae and Sapindaceae and a few pollen characters with
some Sapindaceae and Simaroubaceae. Their distinctive chromones of the ptaeroxylin group (Dean & Taylor in J. Chem.
Soc. (C): 1 14, 1966), have been found in Cneoraceae and one genus each of Rutaceae and Simaroubaceae. It is likely that
Ptaeroxylon and Cedrelopsis are distantly related to all these groups, but they differ in so many important respects that
family rank is justified.
4157 PTAEROXYLON
Ptaeroxylon Eckl. & Zeyh., Enum. 1: 54 (1834); Sond. in F.C. 1: 242 (1860); Harms in Pflanzen-
fam. edn 2, 19bl: 48 (1940); Exell & Mendonga in C.F.A. 1: 306 (1951); White & Styles in F.Z.
2: 547 (1966); Friedrich in F.S.W.A. 71:3 (1968); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 297 (1975).
Description as for the family.
One species confined to the southern half of Africa.
Ptaeroxylon obliquum (Thunb.) Radik, in
Sber. bayer. Akad. Wiss. 20: 165 (1890); Burtt
Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 487 (1932); Chalk et al. in
Chalk & Burtt Davy, Forest Trees Timb. Br.
Emp. 3: 56, fig. 8. 11 (1935); Exell & Men-
don?a in C.F.A. 1: 306 (1951); O. B. Miller in
J1 S. Afr. Bot. 18: 39 (1952); White & Styles in
F.Z. 2: 548, fig. 118 (1966); Ross, FI. Natal
215 (1972); Palmer & Pitman, Trees S. Afr. 2:
1373 & photos (1972). Type: South Africa,
Thunberg s.n. (S-THUNB.!).
Rhus obliqua Thunb., F.C. 2: 224 (1818) & edn Schult.
268(1823).
Ptaeroxylon utile Eckl. & Zeyh., Enum. 1: 54 (1834);
Harv., Thes. Cap. 1: 11, t. 17 (‘1859’, probably 1860);
Sond. in F.C. 1: 243 (1860); Sim, For. FI. Cape Col. 166,
fig. 31 (1907). Type: South Africa, ‘In forests by the Bush-
man’s River and in the districts of Addo and Coega (Uiten-
hage)’, Ecklon s.n. (K, in Herb. Benth., iso.!).
Ptaeroxylon utile forma robustum Szyszyl., Polypet.
Disc. Retim. 48 (1888). Type: South Africa, Transvaal,
Houtbosch, Rehmann 6502 (Z, iso.!).
Kirkia ? lentiscoides Engl, in Bot. Jb. 32: 124 (1902).
Type: Angola, Huila, Antunes 196 (B, holo., presumably
destroyed; BM!;COI!).
Harrisonia lentiscoides (Engl.) Boas in Beih. bot. Zbl.
29:341 (1913).
Shrub or tree ususally less than 15 m tall,
occasionally up to 20 m or more, usually decid-
uous; bole up to 1 m or more in diameter. Bark
whitish grey, smooth at first, later darker and
with longitudinal fissures. Leaves up to 120 mm
long; rhachis slightly winged, usually ending in
a short appendage. Leaflets usually in 3-7
pairs, up to 50x24 mm, very asymmetric, apex
obtuse, rounded or emarginate, rarely acute or
mucronate; secondary nerves rather close to-
gether, prominent on both surfaces. In-
florescence up to 50 mm long, axillary or in
axils of fallen leaves. Flowers pale yellow,
usually appearing before or with the young
leaves. Calyx 1 mm long, sparsely puberulous;
lobes acute. Petals 5x 1,5 mm, glabrous except
for the ciliolate margin. Stamens 3,5 mm long;
* Department of Botany, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RA, United Kingdom.
36
Ptaeroxylaceae
Ptaeroxylaceae
37
staminodes 2 mm long; antherodes minute.
Ovary 1,75 mm long, style about 1,25 mm
long; pistillode minute, embedded in the disc,
sometimes with 2 vestigial styles and loculi.
Capsule chestnut-brown with conspicuous
veins, c. 18x12 mm. Seed c. 16x6 mm. Fig. 9.
Also in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola and Tanza-
nia. In southern Africa it occurs in S.W. A. /Namibia,
Botswana, Swaziland and in the Republic of South Africa
from the northern Transvaal to the Cape. In various types of
forest and bushland. From near sea-level to 1 370 m. Map 34.
Ptaeroxylon obliquum is appropriately known as
‘Sneezewood' or ‘Nieshout’ as its fine sawdust provokes
violent sneezing. The Zulu name is ‘Umatati’ and this name
may have been bestowed on Tati District in the former
Bechuanaland Prot. when invaded by the Matabele impis
when, surprisingly, they found the tree so far from their
native Zululand (0. B. Miller, loc. cit. ). The wood, which
was formerly of great economic importance, is strong and
durable. It is harder and smoother than mahogany and of a
finer grain, but it does not pick up as mahoganies tend to,
and it turns very well. Its durability is its highest quality as
it is practically imperishable. It has been greatly used for
under-structure piles in house-building, fencing poles and
telegraph poles. When used as machine bearings Sneeze-
wood wears longer than brass or iron.
Vouchers: Gibbs Russell 4002; Hall-Martin 6666;
Story 2786; Taylor & Edwards 8785; Van der Walt 343.
FIG. 9. — Ptaeroxylon obliquum: 1, branchlet with leaves and fruit, x 0,7 (Armitage 186/55); 2, branchlet with leaf
and fruits, x 0,7 ( Barbosa 721, from Maputo, Mozambique); 3, seed, X 1,3 (S. Afr. For. Dept. 5533); 4, female flower
with one sepal and one petal removed, x 7 (Galpin 8097); 5, male flower with one stamen removed, X 7 ( Gomes e Sousa
3869); 6, ovule in vertical section, X 10, after Mauritzon. By courtesy of the Editorial Board of Flora Zambesiaca.
Meliaceae
39
MELIACEAE
by F. White* and B. T. Styles*
Trees, shrubs or shrublets; monoecious or dioecious, occasionally polygamous. Indumentum
of simple, glandular and tufted-stellate hairs. Leaves usually spirally arranged, exstipulate, simply
pinnate, 2-3-pinnate, 1-3-foliolate or simple. Flowers actmomorphic, bisexual or unisexual. Se-
pals small, 4-6, variously connate or almost free, never completely covering corolla in bud. Petals
usually 4-5, free. Stamens usually 8 or 10 rarely 11-12, partly or completely fused to form a
staminal tube, usually with appendages. Ovary superior, (2-)3-10(-20)-locular, with axile placen-
tation and 1- many ovules per locule; style 1; style-head expanded, only partly stigmatic. Fruit a
loculicidal or septifragal capsule or a drupe. Seed often with a fleshy anl or a dry membranous
wing.
Characters not applicable in southern Africa: Indumentum rarely of peltate scales. Leaves very rarely decussate; leaf
rhachis rarely ending in a terminal bud. Inflorescence sometimes cauliflorous, rarely epiphyllous. Ovary rarely unilocular.
Fruit sometimes indehiscent and containing one or more arillate seeds, rarely a nut. Seeds sometimes buoyant and with a
corky aril.
Genera 50, with about 550 species, almost confined to the tropics and subtropics. Six genera and 14 species are
indigenous to southern Africa. Melia azedarach is extensively naturalized. Six other species which are planted for timber or
ornament are briefly mentioned at the end of this account.
Further information on the taxonomy, chorology, ecology, reproductive biology and chemistry of South African
Meliaceae can be found in a recent paper in Bothalia 16: 143 (1986).
la Leaves simple:
2a Stamens free almost to the base; fruit a large papery capsule, valves separating only
near the apex 1 . Nymania
2b Stamens completely united or united almost to the apex; fruit a leathery or woody
capsule, valves separating almost to the base 2. Turraea (p.p.)
lb Leaves compound:
3a Leaves bipinnate; staminal tube purplish; fruit a drupe 3. Melia
3b Leaves once-pinnate:
4a Leaves very variable and irregularly pinnate with deeply lobed or partite leaflets; fruit
a capsule with arillate seeds 2. Turraea streyi
4b Leaves regularly pinnate with entire leaflets:
5a Leaves imparipinnate; fruit a capsule with arillate seeds or a drupe:
6a Staminal tube cup-shaped, filaments united to apex; fruit a drupe 4. Ekebergia
6b Staminal tube elongate, filaments united only in upper half; fruit a capsule:
7a Filaments with paired deltate appendages at apex; capsule with 3 leathery
valves without appendages 5. Trichilia
7b Filaments without appendages; capsule with 5 woody valves covered with
conspicuous ridges and antler-like appendages 6. Pseudobersama
5b Leaves paripinnate; fruit a capsule with winged seeds 7. Entandrophragma
4168 1. NYMANIA
Nymania Lindb. in Not. Sallsk. Fauna FI. Fenn. Forh. 9: 290 (1868); Harms in Pflanzenfam. edn
2, 19bl: 94, fig. 24 (1940); Friedrich in F.S.W.A. 71:3 (1968); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 299 (1975);
Pennington & Styles in Blumea 22: 460, fig. 4c (1975). Type species: N. capensis (Thunb.) Lindb.
Aitonia Thunb. in Physio.gr. Salsk. Handl. 1: 166 (1781) & in F.C. edn Schult. 508 (1823); Sond. in F.C. 1: 243 (1860),
nom. illegit., non Aitonia ('Aytonia' ) Forst. & Forst. f., Char. Gen. 147 (1776) (Marchantiaceae).
Aytonia L.f., Suppl. 49,303 (emend. Aitonia 468) (1781), nom. illegit.
* Department of Botany, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RA, United Kingdom.
40
Meliaceae
Fig. 10. — Nymania capensis: 1, flowering twigs, X 0,7 (from Comins 1219); la, flowering twig, x 0,7 (from
Anderson 3); lb, flower in longitudinal section, x 3. (after Pennington & Styles, 1975); lc, calyx lobe, X 3; Id, lateral
petal, X 1; le, cross section of fruit, X 1 (all after Flower. PI. Afr., fig. 1454); If, fruiting twigs, x 0,7 (from Broom s.n.);
lg, seed, X 2,7; lh, seed in longitudinal section, X 2,7 (both after Harms, 1940).
Meliaceae
41
Shrub. Leaves simple. Indumentum of simple hairs. Flowers bisexual, solitary, axillary.
Calyx 4-lobed to near the base. Petals 4, free, imbricate. Stamens 8; filaments curved, fused only
near the base, without appendages; anthers medifixed. Disc thin, partly fused to base of staminal
tube. Ovary 4-lobed, witn 4 locules each with 2 collateral ovules; style exserted with a simple,
minute, scarcely expanded style-head. Fruit a papery capsule. Seeds reniform, minutely verrucose,
puberulent.
A monotypic genus only known from southern Africa.
The name Nymania commemorates the Swedish botanist, C. F. Nyman, 1820— 1893.
Nymania capensis (Thunb.) Lindb. in
Not. Sallsk. Fauna FI. Fenn. Forh. 9: 290
(1868); Verdoom in Flower. PI. Afr. 37, fig.
1454 (1965); Friedrich in F.S.W.A. 71: 3
(1968); Palmer & Pitman, Trees S. Afr. 2: 1059
& photos (1973). Type: South Africa, near
Gouds River and Slang River, Thunberg s.n.
(UPS, holo.).
Aitonia capensis Thunb. in Physiogr. Salsk. Handl. 1:
166 with fig. (May 1781) & in F.C. edn Schult.: 508
(1823); Curtis’s bot. Mag. fig. 173 (1792); Sond. in F.C. 1:
243(1860).
Aitonia capensis var. microphylla Schinz in Verh. bot.
Ver. Prov. Brandenb. 30: 156(1888). Type: S.W.A./Nami-
bia, Karakoes, Schinz s.n. (Z).
Rigidly branched, evergreen shrub 1-5 m
high. Leaves up to 45x7 mm, 1 -nerved, coria-
ceous, mostly in fascicles on abbreviated short
shoots without intemodes. Flowers dull red.
Calyx lobes about 4x2,5 mm, puberulous.
Petals erect, oblong-elliptic, about 15 x 10 mm,
puberulous outside. Stamens up to 20 mm long,
far-exserted. Capsules up to 40 mm diam.,
long-persistent on the plant, at first suffused
with carmine, becoming straw-coloured and
later silvery grey, deeply 4-lobed, with narrow,
laterally compressed, wing-like locules. Chro-
mosome number: 2n=40 (Van Breda 4132,
South Africa). Fig. 10.
N. capensis has a disjunct distribution. In the north it
occurs from central S.W. A. /Namibia southwards to the
Orange River valley and from there inland almost as far as
Kimberley. In the south it extends from the Little Karoo to
the Great Fish River. In various types of karoid vegetation,
often with succulents, and in bushland peripheral to the
main area of the Karoo. Map 35.
Vouchers: Acocks 18176; De Winter 9111; Leistner
250; Olivier 3110; Van Wyk 754.
The Klapperbos or Chinese Lanterns is a striking and
attractive plant because of its conspicuous red, inflated cap-
sules. It is sometimes grown for ornament.
4171 2. TURRAEA
TurraeaL., Mant. 2: 150, 237 (1771); Sond. in F.C. 1: 244 (1860); Oliv. inF.T.A. 1: 330(1868);
C. DC. in Monogr. Phan. 1: 435 (1878); Harms in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19bl: 85, (1940); Staner &
Gilbert in F.C.B. 7: 149 (1958); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 307 (1963); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 299
(1975); Pennington & Styles in Blumea 22: 455 (1975). Type species: T. virens L.
Trees, shrubs or suffrutices. Leaves simple, rarely compound. Flowers bisexual. Calyx cup-
shaped with short teeth or with 5, almost free, foliaceous lobes. Petals 5, linear-spathulate or
linear. Staminal tube cylindric, always with free or partly fused appendages; anthers 10, sessile or
with short filaments. Ovary usually with 5 or 10 locules, each with 2, collateral or superposed
ovules. Style expanded at the apex, usually exserted and then probably always functioning as a
receptaculum pollinis, rarely included. Fruit a capsule with 5, 10 or 12 valves. Seeds reniform
with a red or black, shining testa and a small conspicuous or inconspicuous aril.
Characters not applicable elsewhere: some species lack staminal appendages, or have ovaries with 20 locules, or a
cup-shaped staminal tube or fewer than 5 petals.
42
Meliaceae
Meliaceae
43
About 50 species in Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarenes and Comores, and 1 widespread species in the tropical Far
East.
Linnaeus named Turraea in honour of Antonio Turra, an Italian doctor and botanist, 1730- 1796.
la Calyx divided, free almost to the base, at least one third as long as the petals, lobes foliaceous; style shorter than the
petals; subshrubs up to 0,4 m high:
2a Leaves simple, deeply toothed or shallowly lobed in upper half; staminal tube split at apex 5.T. pulchella
2b Leaves compound; staminal tube undivided 6. T. streyi
lb Calyx cup-shaped with 5 short teeth, much shorter than the petals; style longer than the petals; shrubs or small
trees:
3a Petals up to 22 mm long; staminal tube suddenly expanded distally; bearded at the throat; appendages shorter
than the anthers, connate to form an irregularly lobed frill beyond the insertion of the filaments:
4a Branchlets of flowering specimens stout, usually more than 4 mm in diam.; bark on older branchlets becoming
corky; flowers usually produced when the plant is leafless in subsessile fascicles on the older branchlets or at
the ends of stout, slow-growing spur shoots densely beset with leaf scars. Leaf lamina mostly more than
100 mm long, lower surface densely pubescent, apex broadly acute, rounded or emarginate 1 . T. nilotica
4b Branchlets of flowering specimens slender, usually less than 3 mm in diam.; bark not becoming corky;
flowers usually produced when some leaves are present, occurring in leaf axils or in fascicles at the ends of
slender shoots with widely spaced leaf scars. Leaf lamina up to 80 mm long, apex subacuminate, lower leaf
surface glabrous or almost so 2.T. zambesica
3b Petals more than 30 mm long; staminal tube not suddenly expanded distally, not bearded at the throat;
appendages longer than the anthers, free or connate only at the base:
5a Leaf lamina up to 50 mm long, glabrous beneath, apex acute to emarginate; style straight; style-head turbinate
orcylindric, widest at the (stigmatic) apex; capsule 5-valved, thinly woody 3. T. obtusifolia
5b Leaf lamina 70- 140 mm long, setulose beneath, especially on nerves and margin, apex acuminate; style bent
at apex; style-head depressed-globose; capsule 10- or 12-valved, thickly woody 4. T.floribunda
1. Turraea nilotica Kotschy & Peyr., PI.
Tinn. 12, fig. 6 (1867); C. DC. in Monogr.
Phan. 1; 445 (1878); White & Styles in F.Z. 2:
310, fig. 61d (1963). Syntypes: Sudan Repub-
lic, De Heuglin, 54, 55, 56 (W), Knoblecher
s.n. (W).
Turraea randii Bak. f. in J. Bot., Lond. 37: 427 (1899);
Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 486 (1932). Type: Zimbabwe,
Harare, Rand 562 (BM, holo. !).
Shrub or small tree up to 6 m tall, usually
smaller. Leaves mostly elliptic or obovate. In-
florescence a 5-12-flowered, bracteate fas-
cicle; bracts up to 5 mm long, subulate. Petals
greenish white turning yellow with age. Stami-
nal tube white, 10-15 mm long. Capsule 7 x
15 mm, 10-valved, depressed-globose, shal-
lowly sulcate, glabrous, leathery or thinly
woody. Seeds black, 5x3 mm, with a small
orange or red aril completely concealed except
for a horn-like extension which protrudes be-
yond the apex of the seed. Chromosome
number. 2n = 50 (Zimbabwe). Fig. 11: 1.
Map 36. — • Turraea nilotica
▲ Turraea zambesica
From the Sudan and Ethiopia southwards to the
Transvaal. In the Transvaal it is rather rare and occurs in
bushland and scrub woodland, mostly below 800 m, often
on sandy soils. Map 36.
Voucher: Codd 1660.
Fig. 11. — 1, Turraea nilotica: 1, leaves, x 0,5 (from Robson 665); la, flowering twig, x 0,5 (from Bainbridge
588); lb, part of staminal tube and anthers, X 5,3 (from Bainbridge 588); 2, T. zambesica: 2, flowering twig, X 0,5 (from
Keay FHI 21399); 2a, part of staminal tube and anthers (from Miller 377); 3, T. obtusifolia: 3, flowering twig, x 0,5 (from
Tyson 30); 3a, calyx, X 5,3 (from Meeuse 9660); 3b, part of staminal tube and anthers, x 5,3 (from Meeuse 9660);
3c, style-head and stigma, x 5,3 (from Meeuse 9660); 3d, capsule, x 1,6 (from Westfall 1562); 4, T. floribunda: 4,
flowering twig, X 0,5 (from Wild 4333); 4a, style-head and stigma, x 3,2 (from Tyson 10); 4b, fruit, X 0,8 (from Watt &
Breyer-Brandwijk 1095); 4c, seed, x 2,1 (after Flower. PI. Afr., fig. 1499).
44
Meliaceae
28
Meliaceae
45
2. Turraea zambesica Sprague & Hutch,
ex Styles & White in Bolm Soc. broteriana, ser.
2, 36: 71 , fig. 1 (1962) & in F.Z. 2: 31 1 (1963);
Sprague & Hutch, ex Hutch., Botanist in S.
Afr. 481 (1946), English description only.
Type: Zambia, Victoria Falls, Hutchinson &
Gillen 3493 (K, holo.!; BM!; LISC!; SRGH!).
Turraea nilotica sensu Brem. & Oberm. in Ann. Transv.
Mus. 16: 420 (1935); O. B. Miller in J1 S. Afr. Bot. 18: 40
(1952).
Closely related to T. nilotica (no. 1). In
addition to the key characters, differing as fol-
lows: Leaves mostly rhombic -elliptic, rapidly
tapering from near the middle to each end. Sta-
minal frill usually densely ciliate. Fig. 11:2.
Only known from the Zambezi Valley and its tributa-
ries in the Caprivi Strip, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and
Mozambique. In the Caprivi Strip and Botswana it is found
in woodland and wooded grassland on the banks of the
Zambezi and Chobe Rivers. Map 36.
Vouchers: Codd 7094; Erens 372; Pole Evans 4621;
P. A. Smith 3935.
3. Turraea obtusifolia Hochst. in Flora 27:
296 [962] (1844); Sond. in F.C. 1: 245 (1860);
Oliv. in F.T.A. 1: 331 (1868); C. DC. in Mo-
nogr. Phan. 1: 440 (1878); White & Styles in
F.Z. 2: 313, fig. 61a (1963); Ross, FI. Natal
216 (1972); Palmer & Pitman, Trees S. Afr. 2:
1063 & photo. (1973). Type: South Africa, Na-
tal, Krauss 308 (G, iso.!; K, iso.!).
Turraea obtusifolia var. microphylla C. DC. in Monogr.
Phan. 1: 440 (1878); Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 486
(1932); O. B. Miller in J1 S. Afr. Bot. 18: 40 ( 1952). Type:
South Africa, Port Alfred, near Barville Park, between
Rietfontein and the seashore, Burchell 4106 (B, holo., pre-
sumably destroyed; K! ; L! ; M ! ; P!).
Turraea oblancifolia Brem. in Ann. Transv. Mus. 15:
245 (1933). Type: South Africa, between Warmbaths &
Nylstroom, Bremekamp & Schweickerdt 4 (PRE, holo.!;
K!).
Shrub 0,6-5 m high, sometimes scram-
bling. Leaves mostly in fascicles, lamina very
variable, from narrowly oblanceolate and
unlobed to cuneate-obovate and deeply lobed.
Inflorescence: a 1— 4-flowered axillary cyme.
Petals pure white, narrowly spathulate,
25x3-45x5 mm. Ovary 5-locular, glabrous.
Capsule 6 x 12 mm, depressed-globose, shal-
lowly sulcate. Seeds 5,5 X 3,5 mm, bright red;
aril small, white, fleshy, almost confined to the
adaxial depression and not visible from the out-
side. Chromosome number: 2n = 50 (Zim-
babwe). Fig. 1 1: 3 & 12.
Only known from southern Africa from Botswana
and Zimbabwe to southern Mozambique and the eastern
Cape. In woodland, bushland and wooded grassland, es-
pecially among rocks; also in coastal thicket and inside and
at the edges of various kinds of forest. In the Transvaal and
Botswana, T. obtusifolia occurs mostly between 365 m and
1 200 m; further south between near sea-level and 400 m.
Map (see fig. 12).
Vouchers: Acocks 8831; Hansen 3296; Obermeyer TM
35149; Van der Schijff 4000; Venter 4233.
4. Turraea floribunda Hochst. in Flora
27: 297 (1844); C. DC. in Monogr. Phan. 1:
445 (1878); Stapf in Curtis’s bot. Mag. fig.
8944 (1923); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 314,
fig. 61e (1963); Killick in Flower. PI. Afr. 38,
fig. 1499 (1967); Palmer & Pitman, Trees S.
Afr. 2: 1061 & photo. (1973). Type: South Af-
rica, Umlaas River, Krauss 342 (G, iso.!; K,
iso.!; M, iso.!; W, iso.!).
Turraea heterophylla sensu Sond. in F.C. 1: 245 (1860);
sensu Medley Wood, Natal Plants 3, t. 246 (1902).
Deciduous shrub or small tree up to 9 m
tall, sometimes scrambling. Leaves ovate to
lanceolate. Inflorescence a 2— 10- flowered fas-
cicle terminating short bracteate shoots behind
the current year’s growth, rarely in the leaf
axils. Flowers appearing before or with the new
leaves, strongly scented at night. Petals 35-60
x 3 mm, pale green, turning pale yellow. Sta-
minal tube pure white. Ovary 10- locular, pube-
rulous. Capsule leathery, becoming woody,
obovoid, 15 mm in diameter, deeply sulcate
and transversely ribbed. Seeds 6 mm long; testa
bright orange, contrasting with the whitish,
fleshy aril which covers c. one third of the seed.
Chromosome number: 2n = 50 (Zimbabwe,
Uganda). Fig. 11:4.
Widely distributed on the eastern side of Africa from
Kenya and Uganda to the eastern Cape. It occurs inside and
at the edges of various types of forest, including dune
FlG. 12. — Turraea obtusifolia: Pictorialized distribution map showing variation in southern Africa of shape and size
(all x 0,5) of leaves. The specimens are numbered consecutively from north to south and the degree square from which
each specimen was collected is indicated on the map; A, Smith 3636 from East London showing variation in leaf shape on a
single twig; 1 . Van der Schijff 3802; 2, Ihlenfeldt 2253; 3, Van der Schijff & Marais 3671; 4, Fourie 2627; 5, Mogg 24436;
6, Hansen 3296; 7, Barnard 387; 8, Thode A 1368; 9, Codd 722; 10, De Winter 8635; 1 1 . Van Vuuren 451; 12. Du Toil
189; 13, Pooley 384; 14. Reid 496; 15, WW4387; 16, Wells & Edwards 77 ; M.Mthonti 1; 18, Ward 1844; 19, Moll 31 10;
20, Ross & Moll 2309; 21 , Wood 5746; 22, Krauss 308 from Port Natal (Type of T . obtusifolia ); 23, Strey 8065; 24, Wylie
s.n.; 25. Venter 1035; 26, De Winter 8861 ; 27, Comins 1046; 28, Pegler 337; 29, Tyson s.n. (Kowie); 30, Tyson s.n. (Port
Alfred); 31 , Jacot Guillarmod s.n.
46
Meliaceae
Meliaceae
47
forest. In southern Africa it occupies a narrow coastal belt
from Swaziland and northern Zululand to East London,
extending up to 175 km inland and from near sea-level to
670 m. Map 37.
Vouchers: Abbott 402; Edwards 1645; Schweickerdt
1400; Strey 4324; Wells 3598.
The mature leaves of T. floribunda are usually entire;
two leaves of Vahrmeyer & Tolken 245, however, are
shallowly 3-lobed.
5. Turraea pulchella (Harms) Pennington
in Blumea 22: 454, fig. 3d (1975). Types:
South Africa [Transkei], near Kentani, March
1903, Pegler 730 (B, holo., presumably
destroyed); Kentani Distr., 305 m, fl. fr. 15
Oct. 1904, Pegler 730 (PRE, neotype of
F. White, 1986!; SAM!).
Nurmonia pulchella Harms in Ber. dt. bot. Ges. 35: 80,
fig. 1(1917).
Turraea heterophylla sensu Pegler in Ann. Bolus Herb.
2:12(1918).
Suffrutex up to 0,2 m high with tufted her-
baceous stems arising from a short (50 mm)
branched, woody base, and with a strong,
woody, possibly rhizomatous rootstock;
branchlets, inflorescence axes and both leaf sur-
faces sparsely to densely setulose. Leaves up to
30x17 mm, obovate-deltate, deeply and
bluntly toothed or shallowly lobed in upper
half, base cuneate. Flowers axillary, solitary,
or in lax, 2— 3-flowered cymules; peduncle or
pedicel 8-12 mm long; bracteoles linear, 2 mm
long. Calyx 3-5 mm long, hispidulous, lobes
foliaceous, oblong-lanceolate, free almost to
the base. Petals white, minutely puberulous
outside, 7-9x2- 3 mm, oblanceolate-oblong,
apex rounded, base slightly clawed. Staminal
tube 5-7 mm long, split at apex for up to one
fifth of its length, densely hairy in upper half
inside; appendages paired, filiform, as long as
anthers; anthers apiculate. Disc annular,
shallowly lobed. Ovary densely hairy, 5-locu-
lar, with 2 collateral ovules per locule; style 5
mm long, densely hairy; style-head capitate,
less than 1 mm in diameter, with 5 stigmatic
lobes at apex. Capsule 5-valved and ± 6-
seeded, leathery or thinly woody, 4, 5x6-7
mm, depressed-globose, shallowly sulcate,
densely puberulous. Seeds 3x2 mm, very
strongly curved, dark brown; aril consisting of a
small, whitish, slightly fleshy lobe on each side
of the hilum, covering in toto about one tenth of
the seed. Fig. 13: 1.
Only known from Kentani District in Transkei, where
it grows in tall grass between 305 and 610 m. Map 38.
Voucher: Pegler 730.
6. Turraea streyi F. White &B.T. Styles
in Bothalia 16: 153 (1986). Type: South Africa,
Natal, St. Michael’ s-on-Sea, Deppe’s Farm,
fl., Strey 6876 (PRE, sheet 1, holo.!; NH!;
NU!).
FIG. 13. — 1, Turraea pulchella: 1, habit, x 0,5; la, flower in longitudinal section, x 6,5; lb, sepal, x 6,5;
lc, petal, X 6,5; Id, part of staminal tube and anthers, X 6,5; le, fruit and leaves, x 0,5; If, fruit, x 1,6 (all from Pegler
730); 2, T. streyi: 2, habit, x 0,5; 2a, flower, in longitudinal section, x 3,2; 2b, anthers and appendages, x 6,5;
2c, fruiting branchlet, X 0,5; 2d, fruit, X 1,6 (all from Srrev 6878).
48
Meliaceae
Meliaceae
49
Suffrutex up to 0,75 m high; branchlets,
inflorescence axes and both leaf surfaces spar-
sely to densely setulose. Leaves up to 70 mm
long, very variable, trifoliolate, twice-trifolio-
late or imparipinnate with 3-5 deeply lobed or
trifoliolate divisions; lobes rounded to acute.
Flowers solitary or in lax 2— 3-flowered
cymules; pedicel or peduncle slender, up to 35
mm long; bracteoles minute, filiform, ± 1 mm
long. Calyx 3-5 mm long, hispidulous, lobes
foliaceous, oblong-elliptic, acute, free almost
to the base. Petals white, glabrous,
8-11x3-4 mm, broadly spathulate. Staminal
tube 7-9 mm long, hairy in upper half inside,
not split at apex; appendages paired, filiform,
alternating with and much longer than the anth-
ers; anthers long-apiculate, dehiscing by very
short slits in lower half. Ovary densely hairy, 5-
locular, with 2 collateral ovules in each cell;
style 7—10 mm long, included or very slightly
exserted, hairy in lower half; style-head capi-
tate, less than 1 mm in diameter, with a termi-
nal, 5-lobed coroniform stigma. Capsule 5x8
mm, up to 10-seeded, otherwise as in T. pul-
chella. Chromosome number: 2n=36 (Strey
9288, South Africa). Fig. 13: 2.
Only known from two widely separated localities in
the Port Shepstone (3030 CD) and Stanger (2931 AD)
degree squares. In grassland and inside and at the edges of
scrub forest. Map 38.
Vouchers: Moll 5502; Ross 1853; Strey 9288.
4175 3. MELIA
Melia L., Sp. PI. 1: 384 (1753) & Gen. Pi. edn 5: 182 (1754); Sond. in F.C. 1: 245 (1860); C. DC.
in Monogr. Phan. 1: 450 (1878); Harms in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19bl: 99 (1940); Exell &
Mendonga in C.F.A. 1:317 (1951); Staner & Gilbert in F.C.B. 7: 172 (1958); White & Styles in
F.Z. 2: 315 (1963); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 300 (1975); Pennington & Styles in Blumea 22: 463
(1975); Mabberley in Gdns’ Bull., Singapore 37: 49 (1984). Type species: M. azedarach L.
Trees or shrubs. Indumentum of simple, glandular and tufted-stellate hairs. Inflorescence
paniculate. Leaves 2- or 3-pinnate. Flowers bisexual and male on same individual (polygamous).
Petals 5, free, imbricate. Staminal tube narrowly cylindrical; anthers 10, shortly apiculate,
alternating with a pair of narrowly deltate appendages. Disc annular, crenulate, free from the ovary
and staminal tube. Ovary with 4-8 locules, each with 2 superposed ovules; style-head capitate
with 4-8 short, erect or incurved stigmatic lobes. Fruit a 3-8-locular drupe; locules usually 1-
seeded.
A small genus with 3 species, 2 of which are indigenous in tropical Africa. Melia azedarach, as a wild plant, extends
from India to Australia. It is widely planted in the tropics and subtropics.
Melia is the Greek name for the Ash tree of Europe (Fraxinus excelsior L. , Oleaceae).
Melia azedarach L., Sp. PI. 1: 384
(1753); Curtis’s bot. Mag. 27, fig. 1066 (1807);
Sond. in F.C. 1: 246 (1860); C. DC. in
Monogr. Phan. 1: 451 (1878); Burtt Davy, FI.
Transv. 2: 486 (1932); O. B. Miller in J1S. Afr.
Bot. 18: 39 (1952); White & Styles in F.Z. 2:
315 (1963); Ross, FI. Natal 216 (1972); Mab-
berley in Gdns’ Bull., Singapore 37: 55 (1984).
Type: Holland, De Hartecamp, cult. Hort.
Cliff. 161.1 (BM, lecto. of Mabberley, 1984).
Medium-sized rapidly growing short-lived
deciduous tree up to 15 m tall, sometimes
flowering as a shrub. Leaves up to 400 mm long;
leaflets up to 55x25 mm, more or less
lanceolate, apex acuminate or subacuminate,
margin rather deeply crenate or serrate; lower
surface sparsely puberulous, glabrescent. Calyx
2,5 mm long, densely stellate-puberulous.
Petals up to 8x3 mm, pale lilac, spathulate.
Staminal tube up to 7 mm long, dark purple,
glabrous outside, hairy inside; appendages c. 1
mm long. Drupe pale yellow, up to 20x10
mm. Chromosome number: 2n=28 (various
origins). Fig. 14.
Fig. 14.— Melia azedarach: 1, flowering twig, x 0,5; la, flower in longitudinal section, x 4,3 (both from Ta\lor
241), lb, fruits, x 0,5 (after Watt, J. M. & Breyer-Brandwijk, M. G. 1962. The medicinal and poisonous plants of
southern and eastern Africa, edn 2. Livingstone, Edinburgh & London); lc— g, stages in germination, x 0,5 (after Troup, R.
S. 1921. Meliaceae. The silviculture of Indian trees 1: 178—208).
50
Meliaceae
Meliaceae
51
Widely planted for ornament in all the warmer parts of
southern Africa. In places it is naturalized and has become a
pest. As early as 1906 it was established near Barberton,
and now, in the Transvaal, it is the most widespread and
agressive of the invasive introduced trees. The cultivar
‘Umbraculifera’, the Texas Umbrella Tree, a mutant with a
flattened crown, is sometimes grown in gardens. Map 39.
Vouchers: Bayliss BRI B156; Edwards 877; Onder-
stall 746; Ross 2379; Van der Schijff3169.
The fruit of Melia has long been known to be poiso-
nous to some animals including the pig, and the deaths of
children have been reported. Four highly toxic meliatoxins
(a group of limonoids) have recently been discovered in the
fruit flesh. Fully ripe fruiC however, appears to be much
less toxic than fruit just beginning to ripen. The endocarp of
the fruits, which are easily pierced at the ends, are used for
beads.
4193 4. EKEBERGIA
Ekebergia Sparrm. in K. svenska Vetensk-Akad. Handl. 40: 282, t. 9 (1779); Sond. in F.C. 1:
247 (1860); Oliv. in F.T.A. 1: 632 (1868); C. DC. in Monogr. Phan. 1: 641 (1878); Harms in
Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19bl: 119, fig. 29 (1940); Exell & Mendonga in C.F.A. 1: 315 (1951); Keay
in F.W.T.A., edn 2, 1: 705 (1958); Staner & Gilbert in F.C.B. 7: 207 (1958); White & Styles in
F.Z. 2: 315 (1963); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 300 (1975); Pennington & Styles in Blumea 22: 476
(1975). Type species: E. capensis Sparrm.
Trees or shrubs. Indumentum of simple hairs. Leaves impari pinnate, leaflets entire. Flowers
pale greenish white, unisexual (plant dioecious), in lax or contracted cymose panicles. Calyx
saucer- shaped, lobed in upper half. Petals 5, imbricate, much longer than the calyx in bud.
Stamens 10; filaments united for whole or most of length, without appendages. Disc annular, fused
to base of staminal tube. Ovary with 2—5 locules, each with 2 superposed ovules; style-head
capitate, with 2-5 small incurved stigmatic lobes. Fruit a drupe witn (1)2 — 4(5) pyrenes. Seeds
mostly 1 per locule, exarillate.
Character not applicable in southern Africa: one species is a geoxylic suffrutex.
A small genus with 4 species confined to the African mainland.
The name Ekebergia is in honour of Charles Gustavus Ekeberg, captain of the Swedish East Indiaman in which
Sparrman sailed to China.
Leaf rhachis unwinged or very narrowly winged 1 . £. capensis
Leaf rhachis broadly winged 2.E. pterophylla
1. Ekebergia capensis Sparrm. in K.
Svenska Vetensk-Akad. Handl. 40: 282, fig. 9
(1779); Thunb., F.C. edn Schult. 542 (1823);
Sond. in F.C. 1: 247 (1860) excluding Ecklon
& Zeyher 425; Pappe, Silv. Cap. 6 (1862);
C. DC. in Monogr. Phan. 1: 641 (1878); Burtt
Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 487 (1932); White &
Styles in F.Z. 2: 316, fig. 62 (1963); Ross, FI.
Natal 216 (1972); Van Wyk, Trees Kruger Nat.
Park, 1: 274 & photos (1972); Palmer & Pit-
man, Trees S. Afr. 2: 1065 & photos (1973).
Type: South Africa, Sparrman s.n. (S, holo.!).
Trichilia ekebergia E. Mey. ex Sond. in F.C. 1: 246
(1860); E. Mey. ex Drege, Zwei Pfl. Doc. 227 (1843),
nom. nud.; Pappe, Silv. Cap. 5 (1862). Syntypes: South
Africa, Tsitsikamma ('Sitzekamma'), Drege s.n (TCD; S);
Port Natal, Krauss (TCD; S).
Ekebergia meyeri Presl ex C. DC. in Monogr. Phan. 1:
642 (1878); Presl, Bot. Bemerk. 25 (1844), nom. nud. (as
Eckebergia), Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 487 (1932). Type:
FIG. 15.— 1, Ekebergia capensis: 1, flowering twig, x 0.5 (from Bos 9720); la, female flower in longitudinal
section, x 10,6 (from White 8146); lb, infructescence, x 0.5; lc, fruit in transverse section, x 1,1 (both from De Wilde
5992); 2, E. pterophylla: 2, fruiting twig, x 0,5 (from White 10308); 2a, inflorescences, x 0,5 ( from Compton s.n.).
Fig. 16. — Ekebergia capensis: Pictorialized distribution map showing variation in southern Africa of: leaflet shape
and size, leaf rhachis, and leaf scars on branchlets. Specimens are numbered consecutively from north to south. For leaflets
3-14 its number is also shown on the map inside the degree square from which the specimen it came from was collected.
I , Bos 9720; 2, Smith 1471 from Dikgathong, SE 1922; 3, Van Greuning 502; 4, De Souza 81; 5, Moll 4927; 6, Moll 1724;
7, Ward 5848; 8, White 10527; 9, Strey 10123; 10, Flanagan 818; 1 1, Pegler 849; 12 and 12a, Transvaal Museum ; 13 and
13a, Olivier 1 101; 14, Marloth 7433. Leaflets and branchlets, X 0,5; leaf rhachis, X 2. A, Devenish 1039 from northern
Natal showing remarkable similarity to the Cape variants.
Meliaceae
53
South Africa, ‘Cape Peninsula’, Drege s.n. (B, holo.,
presumably destroyed).
Evergreen or semi-evergreen tree up to 20
m tall, often with a wide, umbrageous crown.
Leaflets (7)9-13, lanceolate to oblong-lanceo-
late, up to 145x60 mm, tapering to an acumi-
nate, subacuminate or, rarely, acute apex, base
asymmetric; lower surface glabrous to tomen-
tose. Inflorescence 70—250 mm long. Flowers
white or pinkish white. Calyx 2 mm long, spar-
sely to densely puberulous. Petals 4-5 mm
long, elliptic-oblong, densely puberulous on
both surfaces. Staminal tube 2 mm long, pube-
rulous outside, densely bearded at the throat
inside. Ovary 15x2—2,5 mm, densely setu-
lose; style 0,5 mm long. Drupe deep red,
18x15 mm, with (1)2 — 4(5) pyrenes. Chromo-
some number: 2n=46 (Vosa & Burras 452,
South Africa). Figs 15: 1 & 16.
Widespread in tropical Africa from Senegal to Ethio-
pia and southwards to Zambia, Botswana and South Africa.
In various types of forest and scrub forest from near sea-
level to 1 675 m. Map (see fig. 16).
Vouchers: Codd 6690; Codd & Dyer 447 1 ; Kluge 580;
Mauve 5254; Olivier 1101.
The Dog plum or Essenhout, like most widespread
species, is very variable. Most individuals from the eastern
Cape have very prominent leaf scars, a narrowly winged
rhachis and small, narrow, crowded leaflets. In tropical
Africa and Natal the predominant form has a wingless rha-
chis and larger, broader, more widely spaced leaflets. These
two variants, however, have been confused since before
1860. There are also too many intermediates and the overall
pattern is too diffuse to justify the formal recognition of
named taxa. The Cape variant is often cultivated as a street
tree and in gardens. E. capensis is sometimes confused with
Harpephyllum caffrum Bemh. (Anacardiaceae), the leaves
of which are superficially similar.
2. Ekebergia pterophylla (C. DC.) Hof-
meyr in J. Bot., Lond. 63: 57 (1925); Ross, FI.
Natal 216 (1972); Palmer & Pitman, Trees,
S. Afr. 2: 1068 & photos (1973). Type: South
Africa, near ‘Gwenberg’, Medley (Tmley’)
Wood 1022 (G, holo.; K!).
Trichilia pterophylla C. DC. in Bull. Herb. Boissier 2:
581 (1894); Bum Davy, FI. Transv. 2; 487 (1932).
Trichilia alata N.E.Br. in Kew Bull. 1896: 160 (1896);
Wood & Evans, Natal Plants 2, fig. 209 (1902). Syntypes:
Transvaal, Barberton, Upper Moodies, Galpin 1083 (K! ;
PRE!); Natal, near Pinetown, Medley Wood 1043 (K!;
PRE!;etc.).
Very similar to Ekebergia capensis (no. 1)
in its basic morphology though very dissimilar
in appearance, differing as follows: Shrub or
small tree, usually less than 6 m tall. Leaflets
3-5(7), coriaceous, elliptic, obovate-elliptic or
oblanceolate-elliptic, apex mostly rounded or
retuse, margin recurved, up to 50x20 mm. In-
florescence up to 60 mm long. Drupe up to
10x 10 mm. Chromosome number : 2n=50
(White 10523, South Africa). Fig. 15: 2.
Only known from South Africa where it extends from
the northern Transvaal to Pondoland. Usually in semi-ever-
green bushland and scrub forest and at forest edges,
especially in rocky places. Mostly between 500 and
1 700 m. Map 40.
Vouchers: Acocks 12860; Compton 25926; Gerstner
6027a; Strey 10627; Van Wyk & Venter 1294.
The Rock Essenhout is an unmistakable species though
it has been confused with Schrebera alata (Hochst.) Welw.
(Oleaceae).
4195 5. TRICHILIA
Trichilia P. Browne, Hist. Jam. 278 (1756) nom. conserv.; Sond. in F.C. 1: 246 (1860); Oliv. in
F.T.A. 1: 333 (1868); Harms in Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 19bl: 104 (1940); Exell & Mendonga in
C.F.A. 1: 312 (1951); Keay in F.W.T.A. edn 2, 1: 703 (1958); Staner & Gilbert in F.C.B. 7: 157
(1958); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 297 (1963); De Wilde, Rev. spec. Trichilia Afr. (1968); R. A.
Dyer, Gen. 1: 300 (1975); Pennington & Styles in Blumea 22: 467 (1975). Type species: T. hirta
L.
Trees. Indumentum of simple hairs. Leaves imparipinnate; leaflets entire. Flowers unisexual
(plants apparently dioecious), in cymes or cymose panicles. Sepals 5. Petals 5, imbricate, much
54
Meliaceae
Meliaceae
55
longer than the calyx in bud. Stamens 10; filaments united in lower half and with a pair of deltate
appendages at apex. Disc fused to base of staminal tube. Ovary small; locules with 2 collateral
ovules. Fruit a loculicidal capsule with 3 leathery valves and up to 6 seeds. Seeds large, almost
completely covered by a bright red aril.
Characters not applicable in southern Africa: suffruticose habit, stellate hairs, unifoliolate or trifoliolate leaves,
completely united filaments without appendages, free cup-shaped disc, bilocular ovary.
A mainly tropical genus of 85 species, most numerous in the New World, with only 15 species in Africa and 2 in Asia.
Trichilia natalensis Sond. is not meliaceous and T. umbellata C. DC. ex Medley Wood and ex Bews is a nomen nudum
(see De Wilde, 1968).
Derived from a Greek word meaning ‘in three parts’ referring to the fruits which are 3-lobed in some species.
Until recently the two southern African species have been repeatedly confused. They are ecologically and, to a large
extent, geographically distinct and the trained eye has no difficulty in distinguishing them. They differ in several features of
the leaflets, fruits and infructescence, but some characters show slight overlap. The most reliable character concerns the
stipe of the fruit and this is the only one used in the key below. There should, however, be no difficulty in identifying
flowering and sterile material by referring to the descriptions and illustrations.
Capsule without a stipe or with an indistinct stipe up to 3 mm long 1 . T. dregeana
Capsule sharply differentiated from a 5 - 10 mm long stipe . . .
1. Trichilia dregeana Sond. in F.C. 1:
246 (1860); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 298
(1963); De Wilde, Rev. spec. Trichilia Afr. 28,
fig. 3, map 3 (1968); Ross, FI. Natal 216
(1972); Palmer & Pitman, Trees S. Afr. 2: 1069
& photos (1973). Type: South Africa, Port
Natal (Durban), Gueinzius s.n. (TCD, lecto. of
De Wilde, 1968; G!; K!; PRE!; S; SAM!).
Trichilia dregeana var. oblonga Harv. ex Sond. in F.C.
1: 246 (1860); Harv., Thes. Cap. 1: 49 fig. 76 (‘1859’,
probably 1860, see below). Type: South Africa, Port Natal
[Durban], Sanderson s.n. (TCD, holo.; K!).
Trichilia dregei E. Mey. ex C. DC. in Monogr. Phan. 1:
657 (1878); E. Mey. ex Drdge, Zwei Pfl. Doc. 227 (1843),
nom. nud. Type: Drege 39 (P, holo. !).
Trichilia dregei var. oblonga (Harv. ex Sond.) C. DC. in
Monogr. Phan. 658 (1878), nom. illegit.
Trichilia emetica sensu Burn Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 487
(1932), as to syn. T. dregeana only.
Evergreen tree up to 20 m tall; bole up to
1,8 m diam., tall and straight when growing
inside forest, but branched at 2 m in open;
crown dense, very wide-spreading in open.
Leaves up to 260 mm long. Leaflets 7-11, up
to 210 x 85 mm; apex of lateral leaflets shortly
and acutely acuminate or bluntly subacuminate
(with the tip itself often shallowly notched),
nearly always showing a hollow curve; lower
surface glabrous or with a few short strigulose
hairs, usually drying dark brown; lateral nerves
in 7-12, usually widely spaced pairs. Inflores-
cence sometimes many-flowered in male, al-
2. T. emetica
ways few-flowered and usually lax in female.
Petals usually 13—22 mm long. Staminal tube
usually 10—16 mm long. Fruit (ripe but un-
opened) 30-50 mm in diam., occurring 1-3
together in the leaf axils. Chromosome number.
2n = c.360 (Ethiopia). Fig. 17: 1.
Widespread in tropical Africa, but with some major
disjunctions; mainly in upland areas from Guinea to Camer-
oun and from Ethiopia to South Africa; also in Angola. In
South Africa in evergreen forest as far south as Komga
District in the eastern Cape; mostly in regions of higher
rainfall than T. emetica; from near sea-level to 1 250 m.>
Map41.
Vouchers: De Winter 8850; Moll 3226; Ross 1270;
Scheepers 1251; Strey 7122.
Fig. 17. — 1, Trichilia dregeana: 1, leaflet, x 0,5 (from Thorns 5348); la, leaflet, x 0,5 and part of lower leaf
surface, x 2,1 (both from Strey 5340); lb, flower in longitudinal section and ovary in transverse section (both x 3,2 and
from Styles 333); lc, calyx and androecium, x 3,2 (from Styles 333); 2, T. emetica: 2, leaflet, x 0,5 (from Liengme 577);
2a, leaflet, x 0,5 and part of lower leaf surface, x 2,1 (both from Compton 31147); 2b, unopened capsule, x 0,5; 2c,
capsule just beginning to dehisce, x 1,6; 2d, dehisced capsule viewed from above, X 1,1; 2e, seed, x 1,6 (all from Bond
s.n.).
56
Meliaceae
Pig 18 — Pseudobersama mossambicensis: 1, fruiting twig, x 0,5 (from Boococh 16; la, male flower in longitudi-
nal section, x 7,5 (after Pennington & Styles); lb, capsule, x 0,5; lc.seed, x 2,1 (both from Moggrtdge 430).
Meliaceae
57
2. Trichilia emetica Vahl, Symb. Bot. 1:
31 (1790); Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 487
(1932), excl. syn. T. dregeana', O. B. Miller in
J1 S. Afr. Bot. 18: 40 (1952); White & Styles in
F.Z. 2: 299, fig. 58b (1963); De Wilde, Rev.
spec. Trichilia Afr. 50, fig. 4, map 4 (1968);
Ross, FI. Natal 216 (1972); Van Wyk, Trees
Kruger Nat. Park 1: 277 & photos (1972);
Palmer & Pitman, Trees S. Afr. 2: 1071 & pho-
tos (1973). Type: Yemen, Forsskal 478 (C,
holo.; BM!).
Trichilia roka Chiov. in Bull. Soc. Bot. Ital. 1923: 115
(1923); F. White, For. FI. N. Rhod. 181 (1952), nom.
illegit. Type: as above.
Evergreen or semi-evergreen tree up to 18
m tall, but in southern Africa usually smaller;
crown very dense, widespreading in open.
Leaves up to 280 mm long. Leaflets 9-11, up
to 150 x 50 mm; apex of lateral leaflets
rounded, emarginate or broadly acute, without
a hollow curve; lower surface sparsely to
densely puberulous or tomentellous with short
weak curly or flexuose hairs, usually drying
olive-green or pale yellow-brown; lateral nerves
usually in 11-18 closely set pairs. Inflores-
cence usually condensed and many-flowered.
Petals usually 9—14 mm long. Staminal tube
usually 8—11 mm long. Fruit (ripe but un-
opened) 18—25 mm in diameter, usually
crowded at the ends of the branchlets. Chromo-
Map42.— Trichilia emetica
some number : 2n = 50 ( Vosa & Burras 453;
White 10415, South Africa). Fig. 17: 2.
Widespread in tropical Africa from Senegal to the Red
Sea and the Yemen, and through East and Central Africa to
the Caprivi Strip, Botswana and Natal. In the Caprivi Strip
and Botswana it is a characteristic member of riparian forest
fringing the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers. In southern Africa
it mostly occurs in drier areas than T. dregeana (no. 1);
usually in riparian forest but also locally in woodland and
wooded grassland on and in scrub forest in rocky places. In
Natal it occurs in coastal forest from Mtunzini northwards,
whereas T. dregeana occupies that habitat further south.
Map 42.
Vouchers: Acocks 12974; Edwards 3326; Pole Evans
4201; Strey 3243; Von Breitenbach 1217.
4195a 6. PSEUDOBERSAMA
Pseudobersama Verde, in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 55: 504 (1956); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 304
(1963); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 301 (1975); Pennington & Styles in Blumea 22: 469 (1975). Type
species: P. mossambicensis (Sim) Verde.
Trees with pinnate leaves. Indumentum of simple hairs. Flowers unisexual (plant dioecious).
Petals 5, free, imbricate. Filaments united for about half of length, without appendages; anthers
11-12, hairy. Disc partly fused to base of ovary. Ovary with 5 locules each with 2 collateral
ovules; style-head scarcely broader than style, obscurely 5-lobed. Capsule with 2 seeds per locule.
Seeds very small in relation to size of capsule, partly surrounded by a small red, fleshy aril.
One species on the eastern side of Africa.
The generic name means ‘false Bersama’ .
Pseudobersama mossambicensis (Sim)
Verde, in J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 55: 504, fig. 1
(1956); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 305, fig. 60
(1963); Ross, FI. Natal 216 (1972). Type: Mo-
zambique, without locality, Sim 5204 [not
located; fig. 23 in Sim, For. FI. P.E. Afr.
(1909), lectotype of White (1986)].
Bersama mossambicensis Sim, tom. cit. 34, fig. 23
(1909).
Evergreen tree up to 10 m tall, usually
smaller. Leaves up to 300 mm long. Leaflets
9—17, elliptic or oblong-elliptic, apex shortly
and bluntly acuminate; lower surface with tufts
of hairs in the nerve axils and with lax, promi-
58
Meliaceae
KobfrM a'Lj
■Wxi
2
Meliaceae
59
nent, reticulate venation. Flowers white, 3-12
in a sparsely branched to subcapitate, cymose
inflorescence. Petals 4,5-6 mm long, gla-
brous. Filaments 3,5 mm long. Capsule 30—50
mm in diameter, red; appendages up to 7 mm
long. Seeds 7x5 mm, puiple-black, aril
orange, extending from the adaxial part of seed,
to form a cushion at the apex and base. Chro-
mosome number. 2n = 46 (Kenya). Fig 18.
P. mossambicensis has a scattered distribution in east
African coastal forests from Kenya to Natal. Map 43.
Vouchers: Tinley 321; 456; Ward 3231 .
4163
7. ENTANDROPHRAGMA
Entandrophragma C. DC. in Bull. Herb. Boissier 2: 582, fig. 12 (1894); Harms in Pflanzenfam.
edn 2, 19bl: 55 (1940); Exell & Mendonga in C.F.A. 1: 308 (1951); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 289
(1963); M. Friedrich in F.S.W.A. 71: 2 (1968); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 298 (1975); Pennington &
Styles in Blumea 22: 518, t. 17, i, j (1975). Type species: E. angolense (Welw.) C. DC.
Wulfhorstia C. DC. in Mem. Herb. Boissier 10: 77 (1900).
Trees, usually large. Leaves paripinnate, leaflets entire. Flowers unisexual (tree monoecious),
in contracted panicles. Petals 5, free, contorted. Staminal tube cup-shaped, margin entire or almost
so; anthers 10; appendages absent. Disc in the form of 10 distinct or indistinct short ridges which
connect the ovaiy to the base of the staminal tube. Ovary 5-locular, each locule with 4—12
pendulous anatropous ovules in 2 rows; style short; style-head discoid with 5 radiating stigmatic
lines. Capsule pendulous, woody, septifragal, cigar-shaped; valves separating from apex, persis-
tent at base; columella massive, softly woody, 5-angled, indented with imprints of the seeds. Seeds
with a terminal wing, 3— 5 per locule.
Characters not applicable in southern Africa: the precise shape of the staminal tube and disc and the way the fruit opens
are different in some other species.
A genus with 1 1 species, confined to the African mainland.
The Greek name Entandrophragma refers to the 10 partitions between the ovary and the staminal tube.
Leaflets filiform-acuminate at apex 1 . E. caudatum
Leaflets shortly cuspidate to emarginate at apex 2. E. spicatum
1. Entandrophragma caudatum (Spra-
gue) Sprague in Kew Bull. 1910: 180 (1910) &
in Hooker’s Icon. PI. 31: fig. 3032 (1915);
Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 487 (1932); Brem.
& Oberm. in Ann. Transv. Mus. 16: 420
(1935); O. B. Miller in J1 S. Afr. Bot. 18: 39
(1952); White & Styles in F.Z. 2: 290, fig. 55b
(1963); Ross, FI. Natal 216 (1972); Van Wyk,
Trees Kruger Nat. Park 1: 271 & photos (1972);
Palmer & Pitman, Trees S. Afr. 2: 1055 & pho-
tos (1973). Type: Transvaal, Blouwberg, 1 190
m, Bailey in Transv. Dept. Agric. Herb. 2926
(K, holo.!).
Pseudoc'edrela caudata Sprague in Kew Bull. 1908:
163 (1908).
Large deciduous tree 10-20 m tall; bole up
to 1,5 m diam., long and straight or branched at
2 m. Bark thick and rough, flaking in large
FIG. 19. — 1, Entandrophragma caudatum: 1, leaf, x 0,5 (from Smith 2053); la, capsule and seed, x 0,5 (from
Burtt Davy 20573); 2, E. spicatum: 2, leaf x 0,5 (from Teixeira 2414); 2a, inflorescence, X 0,5; 2b, flower in longitudinal
section, X 8 (both from Gossweiler 13375).
60
Meliaceae
Map 44. — • Entandrophragma caudatum
▲ Entandrophragma spicatum
irregular scales to expose buff undersurface.
Leaves up to 250 mm long. Leaflets in 5— 8
pairs, up to 1 10 x 35 mm, ovate to lanceolate,
gradually tapering from near the base to a
narrowly acuminate apex with a filiform tip,
base of distal leaflets very asymmetric, base of
proximal ones less asymmetric; lower surface
glabrous or almost so, venation indistinct. In-
florescence up to 200 x 20 mm, in leaf axils
and towards base of current year’s growth.
Flowers pale green. Petals 5-6 mm long,
densely puberulous outside. Staminal tube 3—4
mm long, glabrous outside, densely puberulous
inside. Capsule 150-200 x 50 mm, cigar-
shaped; valves brownish black, closely lenticel-
late, apex thickened and recurved; columella
with shallow seed impressions. Seeds including
the wing 90-100 x 20 mm. Chromosome
number. 2n = 72 (Zimbabwe). Fig. 19: 1.
From Zambia and Malawi southwards to Swaziland
and northern Zululand. A conspicuous, though rather rare,
emergent tree in various types of bushland, thicket and
forest on sandy soils or in rocky places, including Baikiaea
plurijuga forest on Kalahari Sand in Botswana and the
Caprivi Strip, and ‘mahemane’ thicket at the southern end
of its range in Zululand. Map 44.
Vouchers: De Winter 9241 A; Hancock 30; Smith 2053;
Vahrmeijer 1542; Von Breitenbach 1225.
The wood of Mountain mahogany can be used for
furniture and cabinet making but supplies are too limited for
it to be of much economic importance.
2. Entandrophragma spicatum (C. DC.)
Sprague in Hooker’s Icon. PI. 31: in nota sub
fig. 3023 (1915); Friedr. in F.S.W.A. 71: 2
(1968). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia, Amboland,
Uukuanjama, Omupanda, Wulfhorst s.n. (Z,
holo.).
Wulfhorstia spicata C. DC. in Mem. Herb. Boissier 10:
78(1900).
Wulfhorstia spicata var. viridiflora Schinz in Bull. Herb.
Boissier, ser. 2,2: 1000 (1902). Type: S.W. A. /Namibia,
Omupanda, Rautanen 323 (Z, holo.).
Wulfhorstia ekebergioides Harms in Warb., Kunene-
Samb. Exped. 271 (1903). Entandrophragma ekeber-
gioides (Harms) Sprague in Hooker’s Icon. PI. 31: in nota
sub. fig. 3023 (1915); Exell & Mendonga, C.F.A. 1: 309
(1951). Type: Angola, Huila, Vila Pereira d’Eca, Baum 88
(B, holo., presumably destroyed; BM!;COI!; K!).
Large deciduous tree 9-18 m tall. Bark
rough, flaking. Leaflets in 3-7 pairs, up to 1 10
x 70 mm, broadly oblong or obovate-oblong;
lower surface densely puberulous, venation
forming a conspicuous network. Inflorescence
densely hairy, precocious or with the leaves.
Capsule with greyish, buff or pale brown
valves; columella with deep seed impressions.
Chromosome number. 2n = 72 (Angola). Fig.
19:2.
The Woodland mahogany is only known from the
south of Angola and the north of S.W. A. /Namibia, where it
is an emergent tree from bushland and woodland, mostly on
deep sandy soil. Map 44.
Vouchers: De Winter 3634; De Winter & Leistner
5814 .Rodin 8914.
Introduced species
In addition to Melia azedarach (p. 49), voucher
specimens have been seen for the following species which
are planted. Six other species are included in the National
list of introduced trees (Von Breitenbach, 1984).
Aphanamixis polystachya (Wall.) R. N. Parker (syn.
A. rohituka Pierre). Native of tropical Asia. Tree 12 m tall.
Leaves pinnate. Leaflets very asymmetric, entire; venation
prominently reticulate. Inflorescence spicate or paniculate.
Female and hermaphrodite flowers sessile. Male flowers
sometimes stalked. Fruit a 2-3(4)-valved loculicidal cap-
sule. Seeds with a bright red aril. In parks in Durban; said to
be 'wild' in forest at Hluhluwe (Palmer & Pitman, 1972),
but almost certainly planted; more information needed).
Vouchers: Mills 23; White 14127.
Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (syn. Melia azadirachta
L.). Neem or Nim Tree. Native of India and Burma. Tree.
Leaves pinnate. Leaflets very asymmetric, coarsely serrate.
Inflorescence paniculate. Fruit a drupe. Planted at Mtun-
zini. Voucher: Haigh CPF 2448.
Cedrela odorata L. Central American Cedar, Midde-
Amerikaanse Seder. Native of tropical America. Tree up to
30 m high. Leaves pinnate. Leaflets entire, foetid when
crushed, oblong-lanceolate; proximal lateral nerves with
axillary pockets on lower surface. Inflorescence paniculate.
Fruit a robust, woody capsule usually 30-40 mm long.
Seeds winged. Planted for timber and ornament. Vouchers:
Wells & Edwards 18; NH 30505.
Khaya nyasica Stapf ex Bak. f. East African Maho-
gany; Oos-Afrikaanse Mahonie. Native of tropical Africa.
Tree up to 25 m or more high. Leaves pinnate. Leaflets
Meliaceae
61
entire. Inflorescence paniculate. Fruit an almost spherical
woody capsule 40-60 mm in diameter. Seeds transversely
ellipsoid, narrowly winged all round margin. Successfully
planted for shade and ornament, and for timber. Voucher:
Van Rensburg 411.
Swietenia mahagoni ( L .) Jacq. Spanish Mahogany;
Spaanse Mahonie. Native of Florida and the West Indies.
Tree up to 20 m tall. Leaves pinnate. Leaflets distinctly
petiolulate, entire, not foetid, lanceolate, very asymmetric,
apex subacuminate. Inflorescence paniculate. Fruit a robust
woody capsule 60- 100 mm long. Seeds winged. Planted in
Durban. Voucher: Moll 3621 .
Toona ciliata M. J. Roem. (syn. Cedrela toona Roxb.
ex Rottl. & Willd.). Toon Tree; Toonboom. Native of tropi-
cal Asia. Tree up to 25 m or more high. Leaves pinnate.
Leaflets entire, not foetid, lanceolate or lanceolate-elliptic,
without axillary pockets beneath. Inflorescence paniculate.
Fruit a delicate woody capsule ± 20 mm long. Seeds
winged. Planted for timber and ornament. Vouchers:
Rogers 14829; Wyman 17.
Malpighiaceae
MALPIGHIACEAE nom. cons.
by Various Authors
63
Scandent or erect shrubs or lianes, rarely small trees; with medifixed unicellular hairs. Leaves
opposite or alternate, rarely temate, simple, entire, with sessije or stipitate glands on petiole or
base of lamina; stipules present or absent. Inflorescence of axillary umbels, axillary corymbs or
terminal racemes. Flowers bisexual, with 2 bracts on pedicel, slightly zygomorphic. Sepals 5,
free, may have 1 or 2 sessile glands on outer surface. Petals 5, free, spreading, unguiculate, with
fimbriate or lacerate margins. Stamens 10, free or filaments shortly connate at base; filaments
shorter than anthers, may be unequal; anthers opening longitudinally or by an apical pore-like slit.
Ovary superior, 3 (4)-locular, one locule may abort; styles 2-3 (4), free to the base; placentation
axile, each locule with a single pendulous ovule. Fruit breaking up into 2—3 (4) winged samaras;
each with a dorsal or lateral wing.
Characters not applicable to species in our area: May have stinging hairs, hairs may be branched. Leaves with jointed
petioles. Flowers may be cleistogamous. Stamens — some reduced to staminodes; anthers with an enlarged connective.
Ovary may be 5-locular; styles rarely connate. Fruit may be a schizocarp, capsule, berry or drupe.
Genera about 60; species about 850; cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical areas with most species in the American
tropics and subtropics. Three genera and 4 species occur in southern Africa.
la Leaves alternate; styles 2 3. Acridocarpus
lb Leaves opposite or temate; styles 3:
2a Flowers yellow or orange; fruit with obliquely oblong dorsal wing . 2. Sphedamnocarpus
2b Flowers pink, fading whitish; fruit with a saucer-like lateral wing 1 . Triaspis
4206 1. TRIASPIS
by K. L. IMMELMAN
Triaspis Burch., Trav. 2: 280, 290 (Jan. -June 1824); Sond. in F.C. 1; 232 (1859); Benth. &
Hook, f., Gen. PI. 1: 259 (1862); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 302 (1975). Type species: T. hypericoides
(DC.) Burch.
Scandent shrubs with twining stems, sometimes erect shrubs. Leaves opposite, rarely temate,
simple, entire, with or without glands on lamina; stipules absent. Flowers in axillary corymbose
racemes; bracteate on pedicels, bisexual, slightly zygomorphic. Sepals 5, free, glabrous or pilose
on abaxial surface. Petals 5, free, spreading, concave, shortly unguiculate, margins fimbriated;
one petal long-fimbriate along whole margin, one petal long-fimbriate at base only, three petals
long-fimbriate along one side and at base of the other, short-fimbriate near top. Stamens 10, free;
filaments often slightly unequal. Ovary superior, 3-locular, with single pendulous ovule in each
loculus; styles 3, free to base, curving. Fruit breaking up into (2-)3 one-seeded carpels, each with
a shield- or saucer-shaped wing on margin.
Species about 12, all African, with two in southern Africa. These occur in S.W. A. /Namibia, Botswana, northern Cape
and Transvaal.
Wing on carpel 1, 2-2,0 times as long as wide, 10-25 mm wide; leaf 0,7- 1,6 times longer than wide;
petiole (2— )4— 16( — 20) mm long 1. T. glaucophylla
Wing on carpel 0,8- 1,3 times as long as wide, 25-40 mm wide; leaf ( 1 — ) 1 ,2— 3,0( — 6,5) times longer than wide;
petiole 1 — 5(— 7) mm long 2. T. hypericoides
1. Triaspis glaucophylla Engl, in Bot. Jb. T leendertziae Bum Davy, FI. Transv. 1. 51 (1926); 2:
36: 249 (May, 1905); Niedenzu in Pflanzen- ('^^ Type: Transvaal, Potgietersms, Leendertz 1962
reich 4, 141 (Hef! 91): 48 (1928). Type: ,K'holo!;BOL!)
Transvaal, N.W. of Lydenburg, by big water- Scandent shrub, up to 2(-5) m high,
fall, Wilms 144 (B?t). Leaves broadly ovate to orbicular, 13-50X
64
Malpighiaceae
5
6
3
4
Malpighiaceae
65
coming glabrescent with maturity. Sepals
ovate, acute, l,5-4x 1 -2 mm. Petals 6-11x4
-8 mm, lilac fading to white with age. Stamens
with filaments 4—6 mm long; anthers ovate,
1,5— 2,5 mm long. Fruit with wings orbiculate,
margins entire or ± deeply emarginate at top
and bottom, 25—40 mm long, glabrous or with
a few dark hairs, green ripening to pale brown,
often with maroon tinge.
This species occurs in S.W. A. /Namibia and in central
and eastern Transvaal, with a few scattered localities in
Botswana and the northern Cape. It flowers from late Octo-
ber to May.
Three subspecies are recognized:
1 a Leaf lamina canescent at all stages
2c. subsp. canescens
lb Leaf lamina soon becoming glabrescent (hairs
sometimes remaining on midrib beneath and on
margins):
2a Leaves 3,0-6,5 times longer than wide; occur-
ring in Botswana and northern Cape
2a. subsp. hypericoides
2b Leaves 1, 0-3,0 times longer than wide, occur-
ring in S.W. A. /Namibia and Transvaal
2b. subsp. nelsonii
2a. subsp. hypericoides.
Subsp. hypericoides is distinguishable
from subsp. nelsonii by its relatively narrower
leaves and its distribution. Fig. 20: 4.
It should be noted that the regions in which it occurs
are not yet thoroughly collected. It is possible that plants
with broad leaves will also be found in Botswana or the
northern Cape. Map 46.
Vouchers: Allen 206; Lightfoot 8; Mar loth 1072 (BOL;
NBG); Ngoni 285; Wild & Drummond 7248.
2. Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch.,
Trav. 2: 280, 290 (Jan. -June, 1824). Syn-
types: Cape, Kosi Fountain, Burchell 2531 (K,
lecto. !); Cape, in a walk to, and on a black
rocky hill under, the Kamhanni Mnts (Kuruman
Hills), Burchell 2486 (K).
Hiraea hypericoides DC., Prodr. 1: 585 (Jan., 1824).
Scandent shrub with twining stems, some-
times small erect shrub, up to 1 ,5( — 3) m high.
Leaves triangular-ovate to narrowly linear-lan-
ceolate, 13—57x4—30 mm, apex narrowly
acute to obtuse, base obtuse to truncate or
slightly cordate, main vein prominent below, Map46. — A Triaspis hypericoides subsp. hypericoides
lamina glabrous to densely white-pilose, be- • Triaspis hypericoides subsp. nelsonii
13-52 mm, apex obtuse to emarginate, base
obtuse to cordate, main vein prominent below,
sometimes forming a minute apiculus, lamina
glabrous to densely white-pilose, becoming gla-
brescent with maturity, often glaucous or
slightly discolorous. Sepals ovate, acute,
1,5 — 2,5 x 1,0 — 1,5 mm. Petals 4,5-9(-ll)x
3— 5(— 8) mm, lilac or bluish fading to white
with age. Stamens with filaments 4—6 mm
long; anthers ovate, 1, 5-2,0 mm long. Fruit
with wings ovate, margins entire or ± deeply
emarginate at top and bottom, 19-35 mm long,
usually with a few dark hairs, green becoming
pale brown, sometimes tinged maroon. Fig. 20:
5 & 6.
T. glaucophylla is endemic in the Transvaal and flow-
ers from October to April. Map 45.
Vouchers: Monnig 63; Van der Schijff 7306; Venter
1962; Young A51 1.
Fig. 20. — Triaspis hypericoides subsp. nelsonii: 1 , branch with flowers and fruits, x 0,5 (Giess 10575 and Le Roux
298); 2, flower, x 2,5 (Van Rooyen 2169); 3, leaf, x 1 (Giess & Smook 10575); 4, leaf of subsp. hypericoides, x 1 (Wild
& Drummond 7248). Triaspis glaucophylla: 5, leaf, x 1 (Van Wyk 5182); 6, fruit x 1 (Germishuizen 304).
66
Malpighiaceae
2b. subsp. nelsonii (Oliv.) Immelman in
Bothalia 14, 1:79(1982).
T. nelsonii Oliv., in Hooker’s Icon. PI. 15: 14, t. 1418
(1833); Pole Evans in Flower. PI. S. Afr. 3: t. 109 (1923);
Niedenzu in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 91): 47 (1928);
Launert in F.Z. 2: 118 (1963); F.S.W.A. 72: 2 (1968).
Type: Transvaal, Pretoria, Nelson 511 (K, holo.; PRE!).
T. rehmannii Szyszyl., Polypet. Disc. Rehm. 2: 3
(1888). Syntypes: Transvaal, Pretoria, Aapies Poort, Reh-
mann 4195; Transvaal, Elandsrivier & drift, Rehmann
4944.
T. nelsonii var. austro-occidentalis Schinz in Vjschr.
naturf. Ges. Zurich 2: 194 (1906). Syntypes: S.W. A. /Na-
mibia, Hereroland, Schinz 7 (Zl); Otavibei, Dove s.n. , anno
1892 (Z!); Hereroland, Otjiraka, Dinter 598 (Z!).
T. nelsonii var. glauca Schinz, l.c. Syntypes: Transvaal,
Barberton, Queen's River Valley, Galpin 643 (K; BOL!;
NBG!; NHI; PRE!); Barberton, Moodies, Galpin 593. —
var. glabra Burtt Davy, nom. superfl., FI. Transv. 1: 51
( 1926); 2: 286 ( 1932). Type: Galpin 643 (K; BOL!; NBG!;
NH!; PRE!).
T. hypericoides var. subsessilis Burtt Davy, FI. Transv.
1:51 (1926); 2: 286 (1932); Niedenzu in Pflanzenreich 4,
141 (Heft 91): 48, fig. 11, H, J, (1928). Type: Transvaal,
Todd 26 (K, holo.!).
T. thorncroftii Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 1: 51 (1926); 2:
286 (1932). Type: Transvaal, Tzaneen, Rogers 12572 (K,
holo.!; BOL!; photo, at PRE!).
T. rogersii Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 1: 51 (1926); 2: 286
(1932). Type: Transvaal, Tzaneen, Rogers 12572 (K).
T. ternara Greenway & Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 1: 51
(1926); 2: 286 (1932). Type: Transvaal, Komatipoort, Rog-
ers 22172 (K, holo.; BOL!).
T. ovata Brem. in Ann. Transv. Mus. 15: 245 (1933).
Type: Transvaal, Pietersburg, Olifantsrivier, Molsgat,
Bremekamp & Sclnveickerdt 450 (PRE!; PRU).
In this subspecies the leaves are variable in
shape, but are no more than three times longer
than wide. Fig. 20: 1, 2 & 3.
In southern Africa it is found in S.W. A. /Namibia and
in the Transvaal. Map 46.
In the type of T. ternata some of the upper leaves and
inflorescences are temate, while the lower ones are in pairs.
It is probably only a rare form or mutant rather than a
separate species.
Vouchers: Craven 561 (WIND); Giess & Smook
10627; Hutchinson 2360; Le Roux 631 ; Smith 1397.
2c. subsp. canescens (Engl.) Immelman in
Bothalia 14, 1:79(1982).
T. canescens Engl, in Bot. Jb. 36: 249 (1905); Niedenzu
in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 91): 47 (1928). T. nelsonii
subsp. canescens (Engl.) Launert in Bolm Soc. broteriana,
ser. 2, 35: 32 (1961). Type: Mozambique, Ressano Garcia,
Schlechter 1 1827 (Bt; K, lecto.; GRA!).
Subsp. canescens differs from subsp. nelso-
nii only in the long hairs which persist even
when the leaves are mature.
Only three specimens were seen by the author, the type
and two duplicates of Van der Schijff 3970. The subspecies
was formerly thought to occur only in Mozambique, but has
since been found in the Kruger National Park.
Vouchers: Van der Schijff 3970 (KNP).
4219 2. SPHEDAMNOCARPUS
by P. D. DE Villiers* and D. J. Botha**
Sphedamnocarpus Planch, ex Benth. & Hook. f. in Gen. PI. 1: 256 (1862); Oliv. in F.T.A. 1:
279 (1868); Engl, in Bot. Jb. 36: 249 (1905); Niedenzu in Pflanzenreich 4,141 (Heft 93): 252
(1928); Aitnes in Notul. syst., Paris 11: 97-123 (1943); Launert in F.Z. 2: 119 (1963); in
F.S.W.A. 72: 1 (1968); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 302 (1975). Type species: S. pruriens (Juss.)
Szyszyl.
Scandent shrubs or climbers, deciduous; young branches often covered by an indumentum of
silvery grey or golden grey trichomes; older branches often glabrous. Leaves opposite, temate or
rarely subopposite, simple, sericeous; petiole with 2 stalked glands; stipulate. Inflorescence axil-
lary, umbellate; pedicel and peduncle sericeous; bracts narrowly ovate. Flowers bisexual, subacti-
nomorphic. Sepals 5, free, persistent, green to greyish green. Petals 5, free, caducous, yellow to
orange, unguiculate. Stamens 10; anthers pinkish, basifixed; filaments slightly flattened, connate
at base. Ovary 3(— 4)-loculed; styles 3(— 4), persistent; stigmas slightly swollen. Fruit consisting
of 3( — 4) single-seeded, dorsally winged samaras.
A genus of 12 species of which one species, 5. barbosae Launert, is restricted to Angola, one species with two
subspecies occurs in southern and tropical Africa and 10 species are from Madagascar and Mauritius.
The generic name is derived from the Greek, in allusion to the sling-like fruit. In southern Africa the plants usually
grow on soils derived from quartzite. The irritating hairs on the plants often cause itching.
Department of Botany, Potchefstroom University for C.H.E.
Formerly of Department of Botany, Potchefstroom University for C.H.E. ; now National Botanic Gardens, Kirsten-
bosch.
Malpighiaceae
67
Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (Juss.)
Szyszyl., Polypet. Disc. Rehm. 2 (1888); Nie-
denzu in Arb. bot. Inst. Braunsb. 6: 49 (1915);
in Verz. Vorl. Akad. Braunsb. S.-Sem. 1924:
18 (1924); in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93):
257 (1928); Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 284
(1932); Arbnes in Notul. syst., Paris 11: 119
(1943); Launert in Bolm Soc. broteriana, ser. 2,
35: 37 (1961); in F.Z. 2: 122 (1963). Type:
Natal, Port Natal, Gueinzius s.n. (K!).
Two subspecies are recognized:
Leaves sericeous on both surfaces a. subsp. pruriens
Leaves glabrous or nearly so, but never sericeous
b. subsp. galphimiifolius
a. subsp. pruriens.
Acridocarpus pruriens Juss. in Annls Sci. nat., bot. 13:
272 (1840); in Archs Mus. natn. Hist, nat., Paris 3: 492
(1843); Sond. in F.C. 1: 232 (1860); Sphedamnocarpus
pruriens var. pruriens (= var. typicus Arenes) in Notul.
syst., Paris 11: 119 (1943); Launert in Bolm Soc. brote-
riana, ser. 2, 35: 39(1961).
A. angolensis Juss. in Ann. Sci. nat., bot. 13: 272
(1840); in Archs Mus. natn. Hist, nat., Paris 3: 490 (1843).
S. angolensis (Juss.) Planch, ex Oliv. in F.T.A. 1: 279
(1968); Hiem, Cat. Afr. PI. Welw. 1: 104 ( 1896); Niedenzu
in Arb. bot. Inst. Braunsb. 6: 48 (1916); in Verz. Vorl.
Akad. Braunsb. S.-Sem. 1924: 17 (1924); in Pflanzenreich
4, 141 (Heft 93): 255 ( 1928); Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 284
(1932); Gossweiler & Mendonija, Carta Fitogeogr. Angola
160, 161 (1939); Arenes in Notul. syst., Paris 11: 121
( 1943); Exell & Mendoza, C.F.A. 1 ,2: 252 ( 1951); White,
For. FI. N. Rhod. 183 (1962). Type: Angola, Cuanza
Norte, Lopolo, Welwitsch 1043 (K, iso.!).
S. pulcherrimus Engl. & Gilg in Warb., Kunene-Samb.-
Exped. 272 (1903). S. angolensis var. pulcherrimus (Engl.
& Gilg) Niedenzu in Verz. Vorl. Akad. Braunsb. S.-Sem.
1924: 17 (1924); in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93) 255
( 1928). Type: Angola, Bie, Baum 588 (Bt; K, iso. !).
S. wilmsii Engl, in Bot. Jb. 36: 249 (1905); Burtt Davy,
FI. Transv. 2: 284 (1932); Arenes, Notul. syst., Paris 11:
120 (1943). S. pruriens forma (II) wilmsii (Engl.) Niedenzu
in Verz. Vorl. Akad. Braunsb. S.-Sem. 1924: 18 (1924); in
Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93): 257 (1928). Type:
Transvaal, cascade near Lydenburg, Wilms 142 (Bt; K,
iso., only photo, seen).
5. pruriens var. lanceolatus Launert in Bolm Soc. brote-
riana, ser. 2, 35: 42 (1961); in F.Z. 2: 122 (1963). Type:
Zimbabwe, Matopos, Rogers 5651 (BM, holo.-PRE,
photo.!).
S. pruriens var. latifolius Engl, in Bot. Jb. 36: 249
(1905); Launert in Bolm Soc. broteriana, ser. 2, 35: 41
(1961); in F.Z. 2: 122 (1963). 5. latifolius (Engl.) Niedenzu
in Arb. bot. Inst. Braunsb. 6: 48 (1915); in Verz. Vorl.
Akad. Braunsb. S.-Sem. 1924: 17 ( 1924); in Pflanzenreich
4, 141 (Heft 93): 256 (1928); Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2:
284 (1932); Arenes in Notul. syst., Paris 11: 120 (1943).
Type: Transvaal, cascade near Lydenburg, Wilms 145 [Bt;
BM, lecto.!, vide Launert (1961)].
S. pruriens forma (I) longipedunculatus Niedenzu in
Verz. Vorl. Akad. Braunsb. S.-Sem. 1924: 18 (1924); in
Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93): 257 (1928). Type: not indi-
cated.
Map 47. — Sphedamnocarpus pruriens subsp pruriens
S. pruriens forma (III) brevipedunculatus Niedenzu in
Verz. Vorl. Akad. Braunsb. S.-Sem. 1924: 18 (1924); in
Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93): 257 ( 1928). Type: not indi-
cated.
5. pruriens var. platypterus Arenes in Notul. syst., Paris
11: 120(1943). Syntypes: Mozambique, Delagoa Bay [Ma-
puto], Junod 497 (P?, not traced); Lourenco Marques [Ma-
puto], Borle 350 (SRGH).
Leaves opposite or whorled often with 3
leaves per whorl, lamina elliptic, ovate, obo-
vate or lanceolate, 135x100 mm, apex acute,
obtuse, mucronate or mucronulate, base cordate
or obtuse, yellowish sericeous on both surfaces;
petiole 2-36 mm long, with 2 stalked glands in
upper half. Stipules reniform, ovate or obovate,
sericeous, 2—10 mm long, apex obtuse or api-
culate. Inflorescence : 2— 6-flowered bracts ±3
mm long; flowers 8—15 mm in diameter. Se-
pals oblong, up to 3—5 mm. Petals with claw
up to 1 mm long, lamina 8-12 mm long, yel-
low to orange. Stamens 2—4 mm long. Ovary'
densely sericeous; styles up to 6 mm long.
Fruit : wing of samara 15 — 20 x 1 1 — 15 mm, se-
riceous to glabrescent. Fig. 21 .
Found is S.W. A. /Namibia and the rest of southern
Africa, excluding the Orange Free State, Lesotho and
Transkei. Occurs in open bush and shrubland. Map 47.
Vouchers: Bolus 1 1022; Codd 5195; De Villiers 213;
Mer.xmiiller & Giess 1814.
b. subsp. galphimiifolius (Juss.) P. D. de
Villiers & D. J. Botha, comb. nov.
Acridocarpus galphimiifolius Juss. in Archs Mus. natn
Hist, nat.. Pans 3: 491 (1843); Sond. in F. C. 1: 232
(1860). Sphedamnocarpus galphimiifolius (Juss.) Szyszyl.,
Polypet. Disc. Rehm. 2 (1888); Niedenzu in Arb. bot. Inst.
Braunsb. 6: 49 (1915); in Verz. Vorl. Akad. Braunsb. S.-
Sem. 1924: 18 (1924); in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93):
256 ( 1928); Burtt Davy, FI . Transv. 2: 284 ( 1932); Arenes
in Notul. syst., Paris 11: 118 (1943). 5. galphimiifolius
Malpighiaceae
69
subsp. galphimiifolius; Launert in Bolm Soc. broteriana,
ser. 2,35: 45 (1961); in F.Z. 2: 124 (1963). Type: Mozam-
bique, Delagoa Bay [Maputo], Forbes s.n. (K, iso.!).
A. pruriens var. laevigatus Sond. in Linnaea 23: 22
(1850). Type: Natal, (Port Natal) Gueinzius 396 (K,
lecto.!).
5. rehmannii Szyszyl., Polypet. Disc. Rehm. 3 (1888);
Niedenzu in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93): 257 (1928);
Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 2: 284 (1932); Ariines in Notul.
syst., Paris 11: 117 (1943). S. galphimiifolius subsp. reh-
mannii (Szyszyl.) Launert in Bolm Soc. broteriana, ser. 2,
35: 45 (1961); in F.Z. 2: 124 (1963). Type: Transvaal,
Houtboschberg, Rehmann 6390 (K, holo. !).
Triaspis transvalica Kuntze, Rev. Gen. 3: 29 (1893);
Niedenzu in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 (Heft 93): 256 (1928). S.
transvalicus (Kuntze) Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 1: 50 (1926);
FI. Transv. 2: 284 (1932); Arenes in Notul. syst., Paris 11:
1 18 (1943); Launert in Bolm Soc. broteriana, ser. 2, 35: 46
(1961); in F.Z. 2: 124 (1963). Type: Transvaal, Pretoria, O.
Kuntze s.n. (K.holo.!).
S. rogersii Burtt Davy, FI. Transv. 1: 50 (1926); in FI.
Transv. 2: 284 (1932); Ar&nes in Notul. syst., Paris 11: 118
(1943). Type: Transvaal, Pietersburg Distr., Modjadjes,
Rogers 18041 (K, holo.!).
S. woodianus Arenes in Notul. syst., Paris 11: 118
(1943). Syntypes: Natal, Zululand, Gerrard & M'Ken
1788; Natal, Nanoti, J. Medley Wood 8921 (NH-PRE,
photo.!).
This subspecies is closely related to the
typical subspecies from which it differs as fol-
lows: Lamina 75x50 mm, trichomes restricted
Map 48. — Sphedamnocarpus pruriens subsp galphi-
miifolius
to leaf margins, mid- and lateral veins. Inflores-
cence: bracts ±2 mm long. Flowers up to 25
mm in diameter. Sepals narrowly ovate or obo-
vate.
Found in Botswana, Transvaal, Venda, Bophutha-
tswana, Swaziland, Orange Free State and Natal. Map 48.
Vouchers: Acocks 18739; Botha 2695; Compton
26629; Moll 3198; Van Dam 16929.
4220 3. ACRIDOCARPUS
by K. L. IMMELMAN
Acridocarpus Guill. & Perr. in Guill. , Perr. & A. Rich., FI. Sen. 123, t. 29 (Sept., 1831);
Sonder in F.C. 1: 231 (1860), partim excl. A. galphimiaefolius, A. pruriens (= Sphedamnocar-
pus): J. D. Hooker in Curtis’s bot. Mag. t. 5738 (1835); Launert in F.Z. 2: 109, t. 13 (1963);
Launert & Gonsalves in F.M. 32 (Malpighiaceae): 2 (1969); R. A. Dyer, Gen. 1: 302 (1975);
Doom-Kockman in Acta bot. need. 24 (1): 69 (1975). Type species: A. plagiopterus Guill. & Perr.
Anomalopteris (DC.) G. Don, Gen. Syst. 1: 634, 637 (Aug., 1831). Heteropteris H.B.K. sect. Anomalopteris DC.,
Prodr. 1:592(1824).
Perennial scandent shrubs or small trees. Leaves alternate or subaltemate, often with glands
beneath; stipules absent. Flowers in dense terminal racemes, 2-bracteate, bisexual, regular. Sepals
5, occasionally with 1-2 glands on outer surface. Petals 5, free, unguiculate, margins shallowly
lacerate. Stamens 10; filaments short, free; anthers longer than filaments, opening by a short, pore-
like slit at apex. Ovary superior, 3-locular, one loculus aborted, single pendulous ovule in each
loculus; styles 2, free to the base, stigma partially lateral. Fruit breaking into 2 dorsally winged
samaras.
The genus comprises about 30 species, all occurring in tropical and subtropical Africa, except for one each in
Madagascar and New Caledonia. One species with two varieties is known from the F.S. A. area.
The generic name Acridocarpus means ‘locust fruit’ and refers to the wings on the fruits which resemble the outspread
wings of a locust.
Fig. 21 . — Sphedamnocarpus pruriens subsp. pruriens: 1 , branch with flowers, x 0,7; 2, branch with fruits, x 0,7;
3, flower, x 3; 4, anther, x 14; 5, longitudinal section of ovary, x 4; 6, cross-section of ovary, x 4; 7, hair taken from a
leaf, X 30 (all from Rand 431). By courtesy of the Editorial Board of Flora Zambesiaca.
70
Malpighiaceae
Fig. 22. — Acridocarpus natalitius var. natalitius: I, habit , x 0,5; 2, flower, x 2; 3, petal, x 2 {Wells 2142); 4,
fruit . x I (Leach & Bavliss 13621).
Malpighiaceae
71
Acridocarpus natalitius Juss. in Archs
Mus. natn. Hist, nat., Paris 3: 486 (1843).
Type: Natal, Port Natal [Durban], Krauss 261 .
Scandent, evergreen shrub or small tree;
stems rufous-pubescent when young, glabres-
cent. Leaves glabrous or rufous-pubescent,
usually glabrescent with hairs often remaining
on or along main veins, oblong to ovate, 30
— 135( — 215)x4 — 50( — 75) mm, apex and base
rounded to cuneate, midrib prominent below,
dark glands sometimes present at insertion of
petiole or scattered on undersurface of lamina;
petiole short and stout. Pedicels rufous-pubes-
cent, 12-34 mm long. Sepals broadly ovate,
glabrous or pubescent, 2— 7x1,5— 5 mm. Pe-
tals unguiculate, spreading, concave, margins
lacerated, 10-20x9-17 mm, golden yellow.
Stamens with filaments broadly linear, 1-2
mm long; anthers 4-7 mm long. Styles stout,
curving inward, 8-13 mm long. Fruit with ob-
long-triangular wings, 13-42x10-25 mm.
Fig. 22.
Two varieties are here recognized, but with consider-
able reservations as they differ only in leaf width and in the
fact that var. linearifolius does not occur in the southern
part of the species range.
Leaves ( 13-) 15-75 mm wide; occurring throughout
species range a. var. natalitius
Leaves up to 13 (- 15) mm wide; occurring only in
northern Natal b. var. linearifolius
a. var. natalitius.
Launert in F.Z. 2: 110 (1963); Batten &
Bokelmann, Wild Flow. E. Cape Prov. 94, pi.
78: 5 (1966); Coates Palgrave, Trees of South-
ern Africa 386 (1977).
A. natalitius var. acuminatus Niedenzu in Arb. bot. Inst.
Braunsb. 7: 8 ( 1921); in Pflanzenreich 4. 141 (Heft 93): 267
(1928), p.p. excl. spec. Tanzania. Syntypes: Natal, Pondo-
land, Beyrich 93; Natal, Dumisa, near Fairfield. Rudatis
126; Natal, near Itafa (Ifafa?), Friedenau, Rudatis 352; Na-
tal, Labendschana, Fairfield, Schlechter s.n.
A. natalitius var. obtusus Niedenzu in Arb. bot. Inst.
Braunsb. 7: 8(1921); in Pflanzenreich 4, 141 ( Heft 93 ): 267
(1928). Syntypes: Natal, near Port Natal [Durban], Guein-
:ius 27 1 . 392, Plant 26, Schultz 4^; Natal, near Liddesdale,
Wood 5517; Inanda, Wood 5517; near Durban, Wood 9681 ;
near Mariannhill Trappist colony, Landauer 1 19.
A. reticulatus Bum Davy, FI. Transv. 1: 36 (1926).
Type: Transvaal, Barberton, Crocodile Gorge, Rogers
23948 (BOL!).
Banisteria kraussiana Hochst. in Flora 27: 296 (1844).
Type. Natal, near Natal Bay [Durban], forest margins,
Krauss 261 (TUB?).
Occurs from the eastern Transvaal through Swaziland
and Natal to Transkei; also in Mozambique. Map 49.
Vouchers: Adams 204 (NU); Galpin 12088; Leach &
Bayliss 621 ; Lillicrone 15 (NU); Prosser 1390; Wells 3446.
b. var. linearifolius Launert in Bolm Soc.
broteriana, ser. 2, 35: 32 (1961); in F.Z. 2: 1 1 1
(1963); Coates Palgrave, Trees of Southern Af-
rica 386 (1977). Type: Mozambique, Magude,
Mapulanguene, Torre 6564 (LISC, holo. ! ;
LAU).
A. pottdoensis Engl, ex Niedenzu in Arb. bot. Inst.
Braunsb. 7: 7 (1921); in Pflanzenwelt Afr. 3, 1: 830 ( 1950)
in obs. Type; Natal, Pondoland, at edge of Egosa forest,
200-500 m, Beyrich 94 (Bt).
In southern Africa found in Pondoland; also in Mo-
zambique. Map 50.
Vouchers: Pooley 730 (NU); Prosser s.n.; Strey &
Moll 3660; Tinley 311; Tinley 95 1 (NH , NU).
Map 50. — Acridocarpus natalitius var. linearifolius
73
INDEX
ACRIDOCARPUS Guill. & Perr 3: 69
angolensis Juss 3:67
galphimiifolius Juss 3:67
natalitius Juss 3:71
var. acuminatus Niedenzu 3:71
var. linearifolius Launert 3:71
var. natalitius 3:71
var. obtusus Niedenzu 3: 71
plagiopterus Guill. & Perr* 3:69
pondoensis Engl, ex Niedenzu 3: 71
pruriens Juss 3:67
var. laevigatus Sond 3: 69
reticulatus Burtt Davy 3:71
Aitonia Thunb 3: 39
capensis Thunb 3:41
var. microphylla Schinz 3:41
Amyris sensu L 3: 5
Anomalopteris (DC.) G. Don 3:69
Antler-leaved Corkwood 3: 34
Aphanamixis polystachya (Wall.)R. N. Parker* ... 3: 60
rohituka Pierre 3: 60
Aytonia L. f 3: 39
Azadirachta indica A. Juss* 3:60
Balessan Bruce 3: 5
Balsamea Gled 3: 5
a/igo/ens/s (Engl.) Hiem 3:31
capensis (Sond.) Engl 3: 33
harveyi Engl 3:20
kotschyi (O. Berg) Engl 3:10
/no/Zis (Oliv.) Engl 3:18
pilosa Engl 3: 10
schimperi (O. Berg) Engl 3: 9
zanzibarica Baill 3: 26
Balsamodendrum Kunth 3: 5
africanum (A. Rich.) Am 3: 10
africanum sensu Oliv 3: 9
capense Sond 3: 33
kotschyi O. Berg 3: 10
molle Oliv 3: 18
schimperi O. Berg 3: 9, 10
Balsamophloeos O. Berg 3: 7
Banisteria kraussiana Hochst 3: 71
Bastard Karree Corkwood 3: 22
Bersama mossambicensis Sim 3: 57
Blue-leaved Corkwood 3: 24
Brown-stem Corkwood 3: 17
BURSERACEAE 3: 5
Cedrela odorata L* 3:60
toona Roxb. ex Rottl. & Willd 3:61
Cedrelopsis Baillon* 3: 35
Central American Cedar 3: 60
Chinese Lanterns 3: 41
Commiphora Jacq 3: 5
africana (A. Rich.) Engl 3: 9
var. africana 3: 10
var. rubriflora (Engl.) Wild* 3:10
anacardiifolia Dinter & Engl 3: 24
angolensis Engl 3:31
berberidifolia Engl 3:11
betschuanica Engl 3: 9
boehmii Eng\ 3: 18
boiviniana Engl* 3:26
calciicola Engl 3: 10
capensis (Sond.) Engl 3: 21,33, 34
caryaefolia Oliv 3:26
cervifolia ./. J. A. v.d. Walt 3: 33
chlorocarpa Engl 3: 25
cinerea Engl 3: 18
crassifoliolata Mendes, nom. prov 3: 34
crenato-serrata Engl 3: 27, 34
dekindtiana Engl 3: 18
dinteri Engl 3:21
discolor Mendes 3: 15
dulcis Engl 3:25
edulis (Klotzsch) Engl 3:25
ellenbeckiiEng/.* 3: 11
fisc heri Engl 3:20
giessiiy. J. A. v.d. Walt 3: 16, 17
glandulosa Schinz 3: 11, 15
glaucescens Engl 3: 23
gossweileri Engl 3:31
gracilifrondosa Dinter ex J. J. A. v.d. Walt 3: 21, 22
harveyi {Engl.} Engl 3: 20, 27
hereroensis Schinz 3: 23
heterophylla Engl 3: 18
iringensis Engl 3: 18
kraeuseliana Heine 3: 32
krausei Engl 3: 18
kwebensisN.E. Br 3:31
loandensis Engl 3:10
* An asterisk signifies exotic genera and species which are not naturalized; synonyms are in italics.
74
longebracteata Engl 3:31
lugardae N.E. Br 3:11
macrofoliolata Mendes, nom. prov 3: 34
madagascariensisEacg.* 3: 5
marlothii Engl 3:19
merkeri Engl 3: 10, 16
mollis (Oliv.)Engl 3:18
montana Engl 3: 18
mossambicensis (Oliv.)Engl 3:20
multijuga (Hiern) K. Schum 3:17
namaensis Schinz 3:22
ndemfi Engl 3: 18
neglecta Verdoorn 3: 18
nigrescens Engl 3:31
nkolola Engl 3: 10
oblanceolata Schinz 3:22
oliveri Engl 3:31
pilosa (Engl.) Engl 3:10
pruinosa Engl 3: 23
pyracanthoides Engl 3: 15
subsp. glandulosa (Schinz) Wild 3:11
rangeana Engl 3: 33
rehmannii Engl 3:31
rotundifolia Dinter & Engl 3: 22
rubriflora Engl 3: 10
ruquietiana Dinter & Engl 3: 33
sambesiaca Engl 3: 10
saxicola Engl 3: 25, 34
schimperi (O. Berg) Engl 3: 9
seiner/ Engl 3: 11
spondioides Engl 3:26
stolzii Engl 3:20
stuhlmannii Engl 3:18
tenuipetiolata Engl 3: 31, 32
viminea Burtt Davy 3: 10
virgata Engl 3: 16, 17
welwitschii Engl 3: 18
wildii Merxm 3:24
woodii Engl 3: 26
zanzibarica(flai//.)Eng/ 3: 26, 27
Common Corkwood 3: 15
Damara Corkwood 3: 27
Dog Plum 3:53
East African Mahogany 3: 60
EKEBERG1A Sparrm. ( Eckebergia ) 3: 51
capensis Sparrm 3: 51, 53
meyeri Presl ex C. DC 3:51
pterophylla (C. DC.) Hofmeyr 3:53
ENTANDROPHRAGMA C. DC 3: 59
angolense (Welw.) C. DC* 3:59
caudatum ( Sprague) Sprague
ekebergioides (Harms) Sprague
spicatum ( C . DC . ) Sprague
Essenhout
Feather-leaved Corkwood
Forest Corkwood
Glossy-leaved Corkwood
Hairy Corkwood
Harrisonia lentiscoides (Engl. ) Boas
Hemprichia Ehrenb
Heteropteris H.B.K
sect. Anomalopteris DC
Heudelotia A. Rich
africana A. Rich
Hiraea hypericoides DC
Hitzeria Klotzsch
edulis Klotzsch
Kaoko Corkwood
Kanee Corkwood
Khaya nyasica Stapfex Bak. f*
KIRKIaOZ/V
acuminata Oliv
var. pubescens (Burtt Davy) Brem.
dewinteri Merxm. & Heine
lentiscoides Engl
pubescens Burtt Davy
wilmsii Engl
Klapperbos
Large-leaved Corkwood
Lebombo Corkwood
MALPIGHI ACEAE
MeliaE
azedarachE
cultivar ’Umbraculifera'
azadirachta L
MELIACEAE
Midde-Amerikaanse Seder
Nama Corkwood
Namaqua Corkwood
Namib Corkwood
Neem
Nieshout
Nim Tree
Nurmonia pulchella Harms
NYMANIA E/'nz/E
capensis (Thunb.) Lirulb
Oak-leaved Corkwood
Oos-Afrikaanse Mahonie
Paperbark Corkwood
Pepper-leaf Corkwood
... 3:59
... 3:60
... 3:60
... 3:53
... 3:33
... 3:27
... 3: 9
... 3: 10
... 3:35
... 3: 5
... 3:69
... 3:69
... 3: 5
... 3: 10
... 3:65
... 3: 7
... 3:25
... 3: 16
... 3:22
... 3:60
... 3: 1
.3: 1,27
... 3: 1
... 3: 1
... 3:35
.... 3: 1
.... 3: 3
.... 3:41
.... 3:24
.... 3:26
.... 3:63
.... 3:49
3: 39, 49
.... 3:51
.... 3:60
.... 3:39
.... 3:60
.... 3:23
.... 3:33
.... 3:21
.... 3:60
.... 3:37
.... 3:60
.... 3:47
.... 3:39
3: 39,41
.... 3:24
.... 3:60
.... 3: 19
.... 3:21
75
Protionopsin Blume 3:
Protium sensu Wight & Am 3:
africanum Harv 3:
mossambicense Oliv 3:
PSEUDOBERSAMA Verde 3:
mossambicensis (Sim) Verde 3:
Pseudocedrela caudata Sprague 3:
PTAEROXYLACEAE 3:
PTAEROXYLON Eckl.&Zeyh 3:
obliquum (Thunb.) Radik 3:
utile Eckl.&Zeyh 3:
forma robustum Szyszyl 3:
Purple-stem Corkwood 3:
Red-stem Corkwood 3:
Rhus obliqua Thunb 3:
Rock Corkwood 3:
Rock Essenhout 3:
Rough-leaved Corkwood 3:
Sand Corkwood 3:
Schrebera alata (Hochst. ) Wehv 3:
SIMAROUBACEAE 3:
Slender Corkwood 3:
Sneezewood 3:
Spanish Mahogany 3:
SPHEDAMNOCARPUS Planch, ex Benth. & Hook.f. 3:
angolensis (Juss.) Planch, ex Oliv 3:
var. pulcherrimus (Engl. & Gilg) Niedenzu ... 3:
barbosae Launert* 3:
galphimiifolius (Juss.) Szyszyl 3:
subsp . galphimiifolius 3:
subsp. rehmannii (Szyszyl.) Launert 3:
latifolius (Engl.) Niedenzu 3:
pruriens (Juss.) Szyszyl 3: 66,
forma brevipedunculatus Niedenzu 3:
forma longipedunculatus Niedenzu 3:
forma wilmsii (Engl.) Niedenzu 3:
subsp. galphimiifolius (Juss.) P. D. de Villiers
& D. J . Botha 3:
subsp. pruriens 3:
var. lanceolatus Launert 3:
var. latifolius Engl 3:
var. platypterus Arenes 3:
var. pruriens 3:
var. typicus Arenes 3:
pulcherrimus Engl. & Gilg 3:
rehmannii Szyszyl 3:
rogersii Built Davy 3:
transvalicus (Kuntze) Burtt Davy 3:
wilmsii Eng\ 3:
woodianus Arenes 3:
Sweet-root Corkwood 3:18
Swietenia mahagoni (L.)Jacq* 3:61
Tall Common Corkwood 3: 15
Texas Umbrella Tree 3:51
Toonaciliata M.J.Roem* 3:61
Toonboom 3:61
Toon Tree 3:61
TRIASPIS Burch 3:63
canescens Engl 3: 66
glaucophylla Engl 3: 63
hypericoides (DC.) Burch 3: 63, 65
subsp. canescens (Engl.) Immelman 3: 66
subsp. hypericoides 3: 65
subsp. nelsonii (Oliv.) Immelman 3: 66
var. subsessilis Burtt Davy 3: 66
leendertziae Burtt Davy 3: 63
nelsonii Oliv 3:66
subsp. canescens (Engl.) Launert 3: 66
var. austro-occidentalis Schinz 3: 66
var. glabra Burtt Davy 3: 66
var. glauca Schinz 3: 66
ovata Brem 3: 66
rehmannii Szyszyl 3: 66
rogersii Burtt Davy 3: 66
ternata Greenway & Burtt Davy 3: 66
thorncroftii Burtt Davy 3:66
transvalica Kuntze 3: 69
TRICHILIA P. Browne 3:53
alata N.E. Br 3:53
dregeana Sond 3: 55, 57
var. oblonga Harv. ex Sond 3: 55
dregei E. Mey. ex C. DC 3: 55
var. oblonga (Harv. ex Sond.) C. DC 3: 55
ekebergia E. Mey. ex Sond 3: 51
emetica Vahl 3:57
emetica sensu Burtt Davy 3: 55
hirta L* 3: 53
natalensis Sond 3:55
pterophylla C. DC 3: 53
roka Chiov 3:57
umbellata C. DC. ex Medley Wood, ex Bews 3: 55
TURRAEAL 3:41
floribunda Hochst 3: 45
heterophylla sensu Pegler 3: 47
heterophylla sensu Sond 3: 45
nilotica Kotschy & Peyr 3: 43, 45
nilotica sensu Brem. & Oberm 3: 45
oblancifolia Brem 3: 45
obtusifolia Hochst 3: 45
var. microphylla C. DC 3: 45
7
5
20
20
57
57
59
35
35
35
35
35
18
20
35
25
53
26
32
53
1
16
37
61
66
67
67
66
67
69
69
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
67
69
69
69
67
69
76
pulchella (Harms) Pennington 3: 47, 49
randii Bak. f 3: 43
streyi F. White & B.T. Styles 3: 47
virens L* 3: 41
zambesica Sprague & Hutch, ex B. T. Styles &
F. White 3:45
Velvet Corkwood 3:19
White-stem Corkwood 3: 31
Wulfhorstia C. DC 3: 59
ekebergioides Harms 3: 60
spicata C. DC 3:60
var. viridiflora Schinz 3: 60
Zebra-bark Corkwood 3: 11
Vol. 28:
Vol. 29:
Vol. 30:
Vol. 31:
Vol. 32:
Vol. 33:
Portulacaceae, Basellaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Illecebraceae, Cabombaceae, Nymphaeaceae. Ceratophyllaceae,
Ranunculaceae, Menispermaceae, Annonaceae, Trimeniaceae, Lauraceae, Hemandiaceae, Papaveraceae, Fu-
mariaceae
Brassicaceae, Capparaceae, Resedaceae, Moringaceae, Droseraceae, Roridulaceae, Podostemaceae, Hydro-
stachyaceae (Published 1970). Price: RIO, 00. Other countries: R12.00
Crassulaceae (Published 1985). Price: RI6.40. Other countries: R20,50
Vahliaceae, Montiniaceae, Escalloniaceae, Pittosporaceae, Cunoniaceae, Myrothamnaceae. Bruniaceae, Hama-
melidaceae, Rosaceae, Connaraceae
Fabaceae: Part 1: Mimosoideae (Published 1975). Price: R13.59. Other countries: R16,75
Part 2: Caesalpinioideae (Published 1977). Price: R16,04. Other countries: R20,00
Papilionoideae
Geraniaceae, Oxalidaceae
Part 1: Linaceae, Erythroxylaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Balanitaceae
Part 2: Rutaceae
Part 3: Simaroubaceae, Burseraceae, Ptaeroxylaceae, Meliaceae (Aitoniaceae), Malpighiaceae (Published
1986). Price: R9,65. Other countries: R12.00
Polygalaceae. Dichapetalaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Callitrichaceae, Buxaceae, Anacardiaceae, Aquifoliaceae
Celastraceae, Icacinaceae, Sapindaceae, Melianthaceae, Greyiaceae, Balsaminaceae, Rhamnaceae, Vitaceae
Part 1: Tiliaceae, (Published 1984). Price: R4,30. Other countries R5.00
Malvaceae, Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae
Ochnaceae, dusiaceae, Eiatinaceae , Frankeniaceae, Tumaricaceae, Canellaceae, Violaceae, Flacourtiaceae,
Turneraceae , Passifloraceae, Achariaceue, Loasaceae, Begoniaceae, Cactaceae (Published 1976). Price:
R8.68. Other countries: R 10,75
Geissolomaceae, Penaeaceae, Oliniaceae, Thymelaeaceae, Lythraceae, Lecythidaceae
Rhizophoraceae, Combretaceae, Myrtaceae. Melastomataceae, Onagraceae, Trapaceae, Haloragaceae, Gunne-
raceae, Araliaceae, Apiaceae. Cornaceae
Ericaceae
Myrsinaceae, Primulaceae, Plumbaginaceae , Sapotaceae, Ebenaceae, Oleaceae, Salvadoraceae, Logania-
ceae, Gentianaceae. Apocynaceue (Published 1963). Price: R4.53. Other countries: R5.75
Part 1: Periplocaceae, Asclepiadaceae (Microloma-Xysmalobium)
Part 2: Asclepiadaceae (Schizoglossum-Woodia)
Part 3: Asclepiadaceae (Asclepias-Anisotoma)
Part 4: Asclepiadaceae (Bruchystelmu — Riocreuxia) (Published 1980). Price: R4,43. Other countries: R6.00
Asclepiadaceae (remaining genera)
Parti: Cuscutaceae, Convolvulaceae
Part 2: Hydrophyllaceae, Boraginaceae
Part 3: Stilbaceae, Verbenaceae
Part 4: Lamiaceae. (Published 1985). Price: R22.00, plusG.S.T. Other countries: R28.00.
Part 5: Solanaceae, Retziaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Bignoniaceae, Pedaliaceae, Martyniaceae, Orobanchaceae, Gesneriaceae, Lentibulariaceae, Acanthaceae, Myo-
poraceae
Parti: Fascicle 1: Plantaginaceae, Rubiaceae (Rubioideae — first part)
Fascicle 2: Rubiaceae (Rubioideae — second part): Paederieae, Anthospermeae. Rubieae (Published
1986). Price: R14.85. Other countries: R17.80
Fascicle 3: Ixoroideae, Chinchonoideae
Part 2: Valerianaceae, Dipsacaceae, Cucurbitaceae
Campanulaceae, Sphenocleaceae, Lobeliaceae, Goodeniaceae
Asteraceae: Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8:
Part 9:
Lactuceae, Mutisieae, 'Tarchonantheae'
Vernonieae, Cardueae
Arctotideae
Anthemideae
Astereae
Calenduleae
Inuleae: Fascicle 1: Inulinae
Fascicle 2: Gnaphaliinae (First part) (Published 1983). Price R 1 2,93. Other
countries: R 16,20
Heliantheae, Eupatorieae
Senecioneae