Maerua aethiopica (Fenzl) Oliv.

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Leaves and Flower
Riverine forest margin
Mbita (Kumbula) Island, Mpulungu, Mpulungu Distr.
Aug 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman

Flower
Riverine forest margin
Mbita (Kumbula) Island, Mpulungu, Mpulungu Distr.
Aug 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman

Habit
Termitaria in lake basin chipya scrubland
Lunzua River, Mpulungu, Mpulungu Distr.
Aug 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman

Flower
Termitaria in lake basin chipya scrubland
Lunzua River, Mpulungu, Mpulungu Distr.
Aug 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman

Fruit
Termitaria in lake basin chipya scrubland
Lunzua River, Mpulungu, Mpulungu Distr.
Aug 2022
Photo: Nick Wightman

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

Synonyms:	Maerua cerasicarpa Gilg Maerua sphaerogyna Gilg & Gilg-Ben Niebuhria aethiopica Fenzl
Common names:
Frequency:	Occasional
Status:	Native
Description:	Shrub up to 7 m. tall, glabrous except for the sepal margins, with green, striate branches; leaves 3-foliolate; leaflets 1.5–4 x 1–2.4 cm., broadly elliptic, ovate or oblong-lanceolate, apex subacute, mucronulate, base broadly cuneate or rounded; petiole up to 3 cm. long, striate; petiolules up to 6 mm. long, channelled and papillose-verrucose above; inflorescence of lax, few-flowered racemes, terminal or axillary; pedicels up to 1.7 cm. long; sepals greenish, 6–8 x 3–5 mm., oblong, apex rounded and acuminate, margins densely white-puberulous; petals 4.5 x 2 mm., broadly elliptic, acute at the apex, shortly clawed at the base; androgynophore distinctly longer than the receptacle; stamens c. 25, filaments up to 2 cm. long; ovary on a gynophore up to 2.2 cm. long, ovoid; fruit up to 1.75 cm. in diam., globose, shining, almost smooth; seeds several, c. 6 mm. in diam., subglobose.
Type location:	Sudan
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	aethiopica: a term of classical use referring to Africa south of Libya and Egypt
Habitat:	Deciduous woodland and thicket, sometimes on termite-mounds, persisting in secondary grassland and waste places
Altitude range:	760 - 1100 m
Flowering time:	Aug - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Chad, Ethiopia and Sudan south through Cameroon, Central African Republic, DRC, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca):	N
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	N
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:	Thursday 27 October 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 156. (Includes a picture). Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 217 - 223. Under the synonym M. cerasicarpa Gilg). (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Maerua aethiopica:

Our websites:

Flora of Burundi: Maerua aethiopica
Flora of Mozambique: Maerua aethiopica

External websites:

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