Home | > | List of families | > | Erythroxylaceae | > | Erythroxylum | > | zambesiacum |
Synonyms: | |
Common names: | Zambezi coca tree (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
Description: |
Shrub or small tree. Bark smooth and grey. Branches pendulous. Leaves obovate to oblong, thinly textured, pale green, veining prominent; stipules triangular, persistent. Flowers solitary or in small groups, axillary, white to yellowish, inconspicuous. Fruit a cylindric drupe, bright shiny red when ripe. |
Notes: | E. zambesiacum is readily confused in leaf with Flueggea virosa, but it is often a tree (Flueggea usually a shrub), its branches are often pendulous (Flueggea not pendulous). Once familiar, the distinctive flattened branchlets of E. zambesiacum also serve to distinguish this species from Flueggea. The fruits of the two species are of course quite different. |
Derivation of specific name: | zambesiacum: of the Zambezi region |
Habitat: | In dry woodland, on rocky hillsides and in riverine fringes. |
Flowering time: | Nov - Dec |
Worldwide distribution: | Zambia, Zimbabwe, northern Botswana and Caprivi-Namibia. |
Growth form(s): | Tree, shrub over 2 m. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Content last updated: | Wednesday 28 March 2018 |
Literature: |
Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 246. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 248. 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 40. Robson, N.K.B. (1963). Erythroxylaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(1) Pages 104 - 108. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 55. |
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