Mimusops obtusifolia Lam.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Road to Chiniziuwa River, Sofala, Mozambique.

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

Photo: Bart Wursten
River Above Nharizengere Falls, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:	Mimusops fruticosa A. DC. Mimusops kirkii Baker
Common names:	Round-fruited red milkwood (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub or small to medium-sized tree. Bark grey to blackish, very rough and fissured in older specimens. Leaves elliptic to obovate or almost round, 3.5-10 cm long, leathery to almost fleshy, glossy dark green and hairless above, with or without greyish hairs below; apex rounded, often notched. Young leaves and twigs covered in rusty-brown hairs. Flowers in few-flowered axillary clusters, creamy-white, c. 1 cm in diameter, the sepals covered in brownish hairs. Fruit fleshy, subspherical, c. 2.5 cm long, orange-red when ripe.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	obtusifolia: with obtuse or rounded leaves
Habitat:	In costal scrub, riverine thickets, forest, mixed woodland, often on termite mounds.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Mar - Sep
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,T,MS,GI,M
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Friday 3 July 2015
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 741. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 266. As Mimusops fruticosa Kupicha, F.K. (1983). Sapotaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 239 - 240. 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 77.

Other sources of information about Mimusops obtusifolia:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Mimusops obtusifolia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Mimusops obtusifolia

External websites:

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