Homalium africanum (Hook. f.) Benth.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Itindi Community, Oriental, DR Congo. © Botanic Garden Meise

Photo: Jos Stevens
Villages around Ferme Randu, southwest Katanga Province, DRC

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Synonyms:	Blackwellia africana Hook. f. Homalium molle Stapf var. rhodesicum R.E. Fr. Homalium sarcopetalum Pierre
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Description:	Hairless shrub or occasionally a small tree. Branches arching, often overhanging water. Leaves elliptic-oblong, 12-26 cm long, leathery; margin more or less shallowly crenate; petiole up to 1.2 cm long. inflorescence terminal, laxly branched, up to c. 25 cm long and 15 cm wide. Flowers 5-merous, creamy-white, in dense clusters along the inflorescence branches; sepals 1.2 mm long, narrowly triangular, finely velvety; petals c. 2 × 1.3 mm, spathulate or oblong-ovate, densely velvety. Fruit c. 7 mm in diameter, with petals persisting, somewhat enlarged.
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Derivation of specific name:	africanum: African.
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Worldwide distribution:	From Guinea (Conakry) to DRC, Angola, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
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Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 645. (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 74. as Homalium sarcopetalum Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 95. Sleumer, H. (1973). Révision du genre Homalium Jacq. (Flacourtiaceae) en Afrique (y compris Madagascar et les Mascareignes) Bulletin du Jardinbotanique national de Belgique 43(3/4) Pages 281 - 289. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 105. White, F., Dowsett-Lemaire, F. & Chapman, J.D. (2001). Evergreen forest flora of Malawi Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Page 273. Wild, H. (1960). Flacourtiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 290 - 291. Also as H. sarcopetalum & H. molle Wild, H. & Vidigal, M.P. (1973). 16. Flacourtiaceae Flora de Moçambique Junta de Investigaçoes de Ultramar, Centro de Botanica Page 32. as Homalium sarcopetalum

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Flora of Malawi: Homalium africanum
Flora of Mozambique: Homalium africanum
Flora of Zambia: Homalium africanum

External websites:

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