Boscia mossambicensis Klotzsch

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Photo: Meg Coates Palgrave
Byo-Vic Falls Rd

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Synonyms:	Boscia welwitschii Gilg
Common names:	Broad-leaved shepherds tree (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Much-branched shrub or small tree. Bark greyish-brown, rough and flaking; young branchlets yellowish, hairless. Leaves alternate or clustered, obovate, relatively large, up to 8 × 3.5 cm, leathery, slightly hairy when young, soon becoming hairless; apex rounded with a small, sharp point. Flowers in short, dense heads on short axillary branches. Sepals greenish-white; petals absent; stamens c. 15-40, c. 1 cm long. Fruit round, c. 2 cm in diameter, hairless, yellow to reddish when ripe.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	mossambicensis: of Mozambique
Habitat:	Occurring in hot and dry woodland.
Flowering time:	Apr - Jun
Worldwide distribution:	Botswana, DRC, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Kruger NP, South Africa.
Botswana distribution:	N
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:	Monday 5 January 2015
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 148. (Includes a picture). Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 228. Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 99. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 238. 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 32. Roodt, V. (1998). Trees and Shrubs of the Okavango Delta Shell Field Guide Series: Part I Shell Oil Botswana, Gaberone. Pages 32 - 33. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 44. Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Page 230.

Other sources of information about Boscia mossambicensis:

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Flora of Caprivi: Boscia mossambicensis
Flora of Mozambique: Boscia mossambicensis
Flora of Zambia: Boscia mossambicensis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Boscia mossambicensis

External websites:

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