Oncoba spinosa Forssk.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Maforga Mission, Gondola, Mozambique

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near Mukombezi River, northern boundary Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road no. 11 near Urema River, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road 11, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Road 11 near Urema River, Gorongosa National Park

Photo: Bart Wursten
Plateau above Khodzue Gorge, Cheringoma

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Synonyms:
Common names:	Fried-egg flower (English) Snuff box tree (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Glabrous shrub or small tree, to 5 m. Branches with pale lenticels and sharp axillary spines to 5 cm Leaves elliptic, ovate-elliptic or oblong-elliptic; base abruptly cuneate; apex acuminate; margin serrate or serrate-crenate. Sepals 1.5 cm, 4, concave, shortly united at base. Petals c.2 × as long as sepals, 8-10, white. Fruit c.5 cm in diameter, spherical, dark green or finally brown, smooth with c.8 faint longitudinal lines; old calyx persistent at base. Seeds c.6 × 4 mm, brown, shiny.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	spinosa: spiny
Habitat:	In woodland, riverine sites and on rocky hills.
Flowering time:	Sep - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	From Arabia southwards through tropical Africa to South Africa
Botswana distribution:	N
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
Literature:	Baumann, G. (2005). Photographic Guide to Wildflowers of Malawi Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Pages 84 - 85. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 634. (Includes a picture). Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 468. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 261. 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 53. Under Flacourtiaceae Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 75. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 105. 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 214. Wild, H. (1960). Flacourtiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 273 - 276. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Oncoba spinosa:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Oncoba spinosa
Flora of Caprivi: Oncoba spinosa
Flora of Malawi: Oncoba spinosa
Flora of Mozambique: Oncoba spinosa
Flora of Zambia: Oncoba spinosa
Flora of Zimbabwe: Oncoba spinosa
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Oncoba spinosa

External websites:

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