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This species is accepted, and its native range is Tropical & S. Africa, SW. Arabian Peninsula, Comoros, Madagascar.

[FZ]

Boraginaceae, E. S. Martins (Trichodesma by R. K. Brummit). Flora Zambesiaca 7:4. 1990

Morphology General Habit
Small to medium sized deciduous tree, up to 24 m. high; trunk usually forking a few meters from the base; bark grey to dark brown, shallow fissured; crown spreading, dome-shaped; branchlets glabrous, powdery or pubescent, sometimes hairy.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves alternate or sometimes almost ternate; petiole (1.5)2.5–10.5 cm. long, canaliculate, glabrous or tawny-powdery and sometimes also tawny-pubescent; lamina 6–21 x 4.0–16.5 cm., ovate or broadly ovate, sometimes subcircular or elliptic, glabrous or on the youngest leaves scabrous or minutely scaly above, powdery and often tawny-hairy on the nerves and veins below, usually rounded and suddenly shortly acuminate, sometimes acute at the apex, subacute to cordate and often asymmetrical at the base, with entire or shallowly crenate margins, usually stiffly coriaceous, with 5–7 secondary nerves on each side of the midrib, tertiary nerves perpendicular to the secondary ones, both prominent below.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Cymes arranged in terminal leafy usually ample panicles; rhachis and branches tawny or brown, minutely tomentose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, on pedicels up to 1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 7–9 mm. long and 4–7 mm. wide at the mouth, tubular, with 10–12 well marked ridges, coriaceous, minutely tomentose outside, glabrous inside, opening by an operculum and later splitting into 3–5 teeth, sometimes becoming bilabiate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 17–21(24) mm. long, funnel-shaped, white; tube 15–19(22) mm. long; lobes 1.5–3.0 x 10–13(15) mm., retuse and with a pubescent mucron c. 1 mm. long, margin undulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens enclosed, inserted at 3–5 mm. from the base of the corolla; anthers 2.0–2.5 mm. long; filaments 7–10 mm. long, slender, with a few pellucid hairs at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary c. 2.0 x 1.5 mm., ovoid, glabrous; style 13–18 mm. long, first forked at 7–12 mm. from the base, stigmatic branches c. 1.5 mm. long, more or less clavate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit c. 12 x 8 mm., ovoid, ellipsoid or obovoid, apiculate, glabrous, dark brown, surrounded at base by the widened cup-shaped calyx; pyrene subquadrangular in cross section.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 1–2, very rarely 3–4.

[FWTA]

Boraginaceae, H. Heine. Flora of West Tropical Africa 2. 1963

Morphology General Habit
A shrub or small tree up to 25 ft. high
Morphology Leaves
Broad leaves strongly-nerved beneath
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Conspicuous funnel-shaped white flowers in paniculate cymes
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Yellow succulent fruits 1/3-1/2 in. in diam.
Note
Often planted.

[FTEA]

Boraginaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1991

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or usually a small tree to about 10 m. but occasionally much taller and attaining 18 or even 30 m.; bole usually curved or crooked, 3–8(–12) m. high; bark dark to pale brown, rough and fibrous, peeling, longitudinally fissured; inner bark white turning black; slash yellow or white turning green, grey or brownish; crown spreading, rounded or umbrella-like.
Morphology Stem
Young stems brown-velvety tomentose and with longer hairs but later ± glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades alternate, ovate, elliptic or almost round, 7.5–17.5(–30) cm. long, 3.5–9(–22.5) cm. wide, rounded to acuminate at the apex, rounded to cordate or rarely cuneate at the base, ± thick, discolorous, glabrous to scabrid above, shortly tomentellous and with longer pubescence on the raised reticulate venation beneath to very thickly velvety (‘ C. holstii ’) or eventually ± glabrous save for long hairs on the venation; petiole 1.3–13 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers hermaphrodite, sweetly scented, sessile, hairy, having much the appearance of artificial flowers made of crinkly paper, massed in compact conspicuous panicles of scorpioid cymes up to 14 × 14 cm., shorter than the leaves.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tubular-campanulate, (5–)7–9 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide at the throat, conspicuously 10-ribbed, dark-brown tomentose, irregularly 4–5-toothed or sometimes ± 2-lipped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla white, funnel- shaped, spreading at the apex, (1.4–)2–2.5 cm. long and about as wide; tube mostly 1.8–2.2 cm. long and lobes usually 2–3 mm. long, 1.1 cm. wide, retuse, strongly folded, crenellate, sparsely pubescent outside, the median nerves with a short hairy mucro.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens included; anthers blackening; filaments 8–10 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary ovoid, 2–3 mm. long, 1.5–1.8 mm. wide, glabrous; style 1.2–2 cm. long, divided 0.7–1.4 cm. from the base; stigmas subulate, 1–2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruits yellow, subglobose or ovoid, 1–1.2 cm. long, 6–10 mm. wide, with sweet mucilaginous flesh, glabrous, contained in the slightly accrescent cupuliform still 10-lobed calyx ± 1.1 cm. wide; endocarp subquadrangular; seeds 2–4.
Figures
Figs. 5/11, 12, p. 24; 8, p. 32.
Habitat
Primary forest edges, secondary forest, gallery forest; also in grassland with scattered trees, Combretum, Albizia, etc.; 450–2100 m.
Distribution
K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 U1 U2 Guinée to Ethiopia and Sudan thence to Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa (N. Transvaal) and Angola, also in tropical Arabiacultivated in India, New Caledonia and elsewhere in tropical botanic gardens, etc.

Native to:

Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Repu, Chad, Comoros, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

Introduced into:

Mauritius, Réunion

Cordia africana Lam. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Jan 1, 2009 Luke, Q. et al. [11359], Tanzania K000450152
Jul 1, 2003 Cheek, M. [7504], Cameroon K000008644
Jul 1, 1999 Etuge, M. [3334], Cameroon K000338917
Jan 1, 1988 Holst, C. [9068], Tanzania K000418665 Unknown type material
Jan 1, 1988 Volkens, G. [249], Tanzania K000418667 isosyntype
Jan 1, 1969 Holst, C. [2347], Tanzania K000418666 isosyntype
Aug 22, 1937 Dawe, M.J. [798], Uganda Cordia abyssinica K000418668 lectotype

First published in Tabl. Encycl. 1: 420 (1792)

Accepted by

  • Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Kalema, J. & Beentje, H. (2012). Conservation checklist of the trees of Uganda: 1-235. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Fischer, E., Rembold, K., Althof, A. & Obholzer, J. (2010). Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Kakamega forest, Western province, Kenya Journal of East African Natural History 99: 129-226.
  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Hedberg, I., Kelbessa, E., Edwards, S., Demissew, S. & Persson, E. (eds.) (2006). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 5: 1-690. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Autrey, J.C., Bosser, J. & Ferguson, I.K. (eds.) (2005). Flore des Mascareignes 121-126: 1. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
  • Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Verdcourt, B. (1991). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Boraginaceae: 1-124.
  • Launert, E. & Pope, G.V. (eds.) (1990). Flora Zambesiaca 7(4): 1-114. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 1: 1-114. ORSTROM, Bangui.
  • Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 3: 1-89. ORSTROM, Bangui.
  • Lebrun, J.-P., Audru, J., Gaston, A. & Mosnier, M. (1972). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Tchad Méridional: 1-289. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
  • Taton, A. (1971). Flore du Congo du Rwanda et du Burundi, Boraginaceae: 1-82. Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Bruxelles.

Not accepted by

  • Lebrun, J.p., Toutain, B., Gaston, A. & Boudet, G. (1991). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Burkina Faso: 1-341. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort. [Cited as Cordia myxa.]
  • Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux. [Cited as Cordia myxa.]

Literature

Flora of West Tropical Africa

  • Tabl. Encycl. Ill. 1: 420 (1792).

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Fischer, E., Rembold, K., Althof, A. & Obholzer, J. (2010). Annotated checklist of the vascular plants of Kakamega forest, Western province, Kenya Journal of East African Natural History 99: 129-226.
  • Hedberg, I., Kelbessa, E., Edwards, S., Demissew, S. & Persson, E. (eds.) (2006). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 5: 1-690. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
  • Autrey, J.C., Bosser, J. & Ferguson, I.K. (eds.) (2005). Flore des Mascareignes 121-126: 1. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Collenette, S. (1999). Wildflowers of Saudi Arabia: 1-799. National commission for wildlife conservation and development (NCWCD), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 1: 1-114. ORSTROM, Bangui.
  • Lebrun, J.-P., Audru, J., Gaston, A. & Mosnier, M. (1972). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Tchad Méridional: 1-289. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Martins in Flora Zambesiaca 7(4): 61 (1990).
  • Warfa in Taxon 37: 961, fig. 1 (1988).
  • Warfa, Acta Univ. Upsal. 174, I: 1 (1988)
  • Troupin, Fl. Rwanda 3: 259, fig. 84/1 (1985).
  • Geerling, Guide Terr. Lign. Sah. Soud.-Guin.: 83, t. 17/1 (1982).
  • Heine in Fl. Nouv.-Caléd. 7: 106 (1976).
  • Taton, Flore du Congo Belge, du Ruanda et du Burundi, Borag.: 4, map 1 (1971).
  • Heine in Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 2: 320, fig. 276 (1963).
  • Cufod., Enumeratio Plantarum Aethiopiae Spermatophyta (Supplement in Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux.) p. 766 (1961).
  • Lam., Tab. Encycl. 1: 420 (1792).

Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Flora of West Tropical Africa
Flora of West Tropical Africa
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2021. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0