Home | > | List of families | > | Ebenaceae | > | Diospyros | > | mespiliformis |
Synonyms: |
Diospyros sabiensis Hiern |
Common names: | African ebony (English) Jackal-berry (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Medium-sized to large tree. Bark dark grey to black, very rough with long vertical fissures. Leaves alternate, oblong-elliptic, dark green above, paler below, hairless. Flowers axillary, solitary, cream to pale yellow with greyish hairs on the calyx and pedicel. Fruit fleshy, ovoid to round, yellow to purple when ripe, embedded in the persistent calyx lobes. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | mespiliformis: resembling Mespilus a genus in the Rosaceae, now sunk under Crataegus. |
Habitat: | In riverine fringes or on termite hills in open woodland. |
Flowering time: | Oct - Nov |
Worldwide distribution: | Widespread in tropical Africa from Senegal to Eritrea and Yemen, southwards to Namibia, South Africa and southern Mozambique. |
Growth form(s): | Tree. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Friday 9 March 2018 |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 749. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 21. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 14. Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Pages 522 - 523. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 267. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 84. (Includes a picture). Kamumvuri, G. (ed.) (2004). Plants of Zimbabwe Report No. 1 National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 37. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 39. Roodt, V. (1998). Trees and Shrubs of the Okavango Delta Shell Field Guide Series: Part I Shell Oil Botswana, Gaberone. Pages 38 - 41. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 54. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 25. Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 63. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 81. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 206. White, F. (1983). Ebenaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 285 - 288. (Includes a picture). |
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