Androstachys johnsonii Prain

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Cloud Pool, Gorongosa National Park, Muanza

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Synonyms:	Androstachys subpeltatus (Sim) Phillips Weihea subpeltata Sim
Common names:	Lebombo ironwood (English) Simbi-tree (English)
Frequency:	Locally common
Status:	Native
Description:	Medium-sized, evergreen tree. Bark distinctive and rough; young branchlets densely covered in whitish, woolly hairs. Leaves opposite with pairs clearly set at right angles, ovate to heart-shaped, green to blue-green above, covered in dense white woolly hairs below; margin entire. Flowers axillary, unisexual on different trees. Male flowers yellow with a long staminal column; female flowers yellow borne at the end of a long, white, hairy stalk. Fruit a 3-lobed capsule, yellow to reddish-brown.
Notes:	The wood is extremely hard and durable and the straight stems of younger trees are often used for building huts.
Derivation of specific name:	johnsonii: after William Henry Johnson (1875-?), Director of Agriculture in the Mozambique Company.
Habitat:	On rocky outcrops and hillsides in deciduous woodland, often forming dense stands.
Altitude range:	100 - 900 m
Flowering time:	Oct - Nov
Worldwide distribution:	Mozambique, Zimbabwe,Eswatini, Mpumalanga South Africa and Madagascar.
Mozambique distribution:	N,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):	Tree.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Thursday 3 August 2017
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 422. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 251. 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 40. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 121 - 123. (Includes a picture).

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Flora of Zimbabwe: Androstachys johnsonii

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