Acokanthera oppositifolia (Lam.) Codd

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Photo: Rob Burrett
Sims Rd, Mount Pleasant

Photo: Mark Hyde
National Botanic Garden, Harare

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Synonyms:	Acokanthera rhodesica Merxm. Acokanthera venenata G. Don
Common names:	Bushman's poison (English)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub, sometimes a small tree, to 6 m. Leaves opposite, glabrous, smooth, usually obovate, sometimes elliptic; apex mucronate; lateral nerves reaching the margin without joining with other nerves. Inflorescence of dense axillary cymes. Calyx 2-3 mm. Corolla: tube 9-13.5 mm, pink or reddish; lobes 2-5 mm, white. Fruit 12-20 mm, a purple ellipsoid berry.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	oppositifolia: with opposite leaves
Habitat:	Often in riverine vegetation, sometimes on rocky hills and on termitaria
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	DRC, Kenya and Tanzania southwards on eastern side of Africa to the Cape Province of South Africa
Mozambique distribution:	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
Content last updated:	Sunday 23 November 2008
Literature:	Biegel, H.M. (1977). Check-list of ornamental plants used in Rhodesian parks and gardens. Rhodesia Agricultural Journal. Research Report No. 3. Page 19. Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 792. (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 24. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 268. Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. & Kupicha, F.K. et al. (1985). Apocynaceae Flora Zambesiaca 7(2) Pages 405 - 407. (Includes a picture). 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 18. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 24. 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 23.

Other sources of information about Acokanthera oppositifolia:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Acokanthera oppositifolia
Flora of Malawi: Acokanthera oppositifolia
Flora of Zambia: Acokanthera oppositifolia
Flora of Zimbabwe: Acokanthera oppositifolia
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Acokanthera oppositifolia

External websites:

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