Alchornea laxiflora (Benth.) Pax & K. Hoffm.

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Photo: Meg Coates Palgrave
Catapu, Sofala, Mozambique.

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Moribane Forest

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ridge North of Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes Mt Bunga, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Inhamitanga Forest, Cheringoma

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

Synonyms:	Alchornea schlechteri Pax Lepidoturus laxiflorus Benth.
Common names:	Lowveld bead-string (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Deciduous shrub or small tree. Bark smooth, pale grey, flaking. Leaves alternate, elliptic-lanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, up to 17 × 8 cm, acuminate, 3-veined from the base, thinly textured, light green, turning an attractive yellow or red in autumn; margin shallowly crenate-serrate. Flowers in axillary spikes, unisexual on the same plant. The reddish bracts more conspicuous than the small flowers. Fruit a 2-4-lobed capsule, 5-7 mm in diameter, thinly woody, blackish-brown.
Type location:	Sudan
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	laxiflora: with lax or open inflorescences
Habitat:	In riverine vegetation and mixed deciduous woodland, often on rocky outcrops.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1500 m
Flowering time:	Sep - Dec
Worldwide distribution:	From Nigeria to Ethiopia and down to Mpumalanga, South Africa.
FZ divisions:	N,Z,MS,GI,M
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
Images last updated:	Monday 28 November 2022
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 432. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 4. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 21. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 252. 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. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 108. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 153 - 154. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 85.

Other sources of information about Alchornea laxiflora:

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Flora of Burundi: Alchornea laxiflora
Flora of Malawi: Alchornea laxiflora
Flora of Zambia: Alchornea laxiflora
Flora of Zimbabwe: Alchornea laxiflora

External websites:

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