Boscia salicifolia Oliv.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Christon Bank, nr carpark

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Synonyms:	Boscia powellii Sprag. & Green
Common names:	Willow-leaved shepherds tree (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Small to medium-sized deciduous tree. Bark dark grey, rough and corky. Leaves spirally arranged, seldom clustered, narrowly lanceolate, up to 15 cm, dull green, leathery, finely hairy below, above only when young; apex tapering, bristle-tipped. Flowers axillary in dense branched clusters, small, without petals, yellowish green, sweetly scented. Fruit round, up to 20 mm in diameter, smooth, yellow when ripe.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	salicifolia: leaves like a willow (Salix sp.)
Habitat:	In hot and dry open woodland and Miombo woodland, often on termite mounds.
Flowering time:	Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botawana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique
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
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 229. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 238. Drummond, R.B. (1981). Common Trees of the Central Watershed Woodlands of Zimbabwe. Natural Resources Board, Harare. Pages 36 - 37. (Includes a picture). 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. 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 233.

Other sources of information about Boscia salicifolia:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Boscia salicifolia
Flora of Mozambique: Boscia salicifolia
Flora of Zambia: Boscia salicifolia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Boscia salicifolia

External websites:

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