Commiphora schimperi (O. Berg) Engl.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Nr upper dam, Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

Photo: Mark Hyde
New Years Gift Estate, Chipinge district

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:	Balsamodendron schimperi O. Berg Commiphora betschuanica Engl.
Common names:	Glossy-leaved corkwood (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or small tree. Bark dark green to yellowish-green flaking in large golden-brown to yellowish strips; branches spine-tipped. Leaves clustered on small lateral branchlets, 3-foliolate or rarely imparipinnate with 2-4 pairs leaflets; leaflets obovate, up to 5 × 3.5 cm, lateral leaflets about half the size of terminal leaflet, more or less shiny green, hairless; margin coarsely toothed; petiole slender, up to 3 cm long. Flowers in small axillary sessile clusters, red, cup-shaped, appearing before the leaves. Fruit ovoid, c. 1.3 cm long, pointed, pale pink, splitting to reveal a black seed almost entirely hidden by a 4-lobed bright red pseudo-aril.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	schimperi: named for George Wilhelm Schimper (1804-1878) who spent more than 40 years in Ethiopia where the type specimen comes from.
Habitat:
Flowering time:	Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Namibia, Zimbabwe and northern South Africa
Botswana distribution:	N
Growth form(s):
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 375. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 10. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 249. 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 31. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 42. Wild, H. (1963). Burseraceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(1) Pages 277 - 279. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Commiphora schimperi:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Commiphora schimperi
Flora of Mozambique: Commiphora schimperi
Flora of Zambia: Commiphora schimperi
Flora of Zimbabwe: Commiphora schimperi
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Commiphora schimperi

External websites:

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