Strychnos spinosa Lam.

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Strychnos spinosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland, office area

Strychnos spinosa

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland, office area

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Synonyms: Strychnos tonga Gilg
Common names: Spiny monkey-orange (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:
Shrub or small deciduous tree. Bark rough and flaking but not deeply fissured and corky. Branches often armed with curved or straight spines, not always clearly visible. Leaves opposite, elliptic, oblong to ovate, 3-7-veined from the base, variably hairy or hairless. Flowers borne on small lateral spur-branchlets or terminally, in small compact heads, creamy-green. Fruits spherical, up to 12 cm, hard-shelled, speckled-green, turning yellow-brown, edible and tasty but are said to be not as good as those of Strychnos cocculoides.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: spinosa: spiny
Habitat:
Flowering time:Oct - Jan
Worldwide distribution: Tropical Africa to KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, South Africa
Botswana distribution:
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 785. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 53.

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 34.

Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 930 - 931.

Coates Palgrave, K. et al. (1956). Trees of Central Africa National Publications Trust, Salisbury. Pages 204 - 207. (Includes a picture).

Coates Palgrave, M. (1989). Guide to the trees and shrubs of the Mukuvisi Woodlands ?publisher. Page 28.

Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Pages 538 - 539. (Includes a picture).

Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 113.

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 268.

Drummond, R.B. (1981). Common Trees of the Central Watershed Woodlands of Zimbabwe. Natural Resources Board, Harare. Pages 190 - 191. (Includes a picture).

Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 298 - 299. (Includes a picture).

Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. (1969). Loganiaceae of Africa VIII Strychnos III. Revision of the African species Mededelingen Landbouwhogeschool Wageningen 69(1) Pages 239 - 248. (Includes a picture).

Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. (1983). Loganiaceae (inc. Buddlejaceae) Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 371 - 373.

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 59.

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 100.

Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 544 - 545. (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 108.

Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 26.

Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 68. (Includes a picture).

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 118.

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 217.

Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 254 - 255. (Includes a picture).

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 95.

Other sources of information about Strychnos spinosa:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Strychnos spinosa
Flora of Caprivi: Strychnos spinosa
Flora of Malawi: Strychnos spinosa
Flora of Mozambique: Strychnos spinosa
Flora of Zambia: Strychnos spinosa
Flora of Zimbabwe: Strychnos spinosa

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Botswana: Species information: Strychnos spinosa.
https://www.botswanaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=144440, retrieved 3 December 2024

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