| Home | > | List of families | > | Capparaceae | > | Maerua | > | cafra |
| Synonyms: |
Capparis triphylla Thunb. Niebuhria cafra DC. Niebuhria triphylla (Thunb.) Wendl. |
| Common names: | Bush-cherry (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Shrub or small tree. Bark mottled pale grey; young branchlets yellowish to grey-green, covered in lenticels. Leaves mostly trifoliollate, occasionally with 4-5 leaflets; leaflets elliptic to (ob)ovate, up to 7.5 × 3.5 cm, terminal leaflet longer than lateral ones, leathery, hairless; petiole and petiolules grooved along the top. Flowers in terminal clusters; sepals greenish; petals absent; stamens 35-40, up to 3 cm long, white. Fruit ellipsoid, up to 4.5 × 3 cm, smooth or with minute bumps. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | cafra: of Caffraria, a historic name for South Africa. |
| Habitat: | In open woodland and patches of forest. |
| Altitude range: | |
| Flowering time: | Aug - Oct |
| Worldwide distribution: | Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa as far as the Southern Cape. |
| Mozambique distribution: | |
| Growth form(s): | Tree. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | Pinacopteryx eriphia eriphia (Food plant) Colotis antevippe gavisa (Food plant) |
| 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 159. (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. 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) Pages 221 - 223. (Includes a picture). |
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