| Rigid star-berry | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Foliage and fruit | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ebenaceae |
| Genus: | Diospyros |
| Species: | D. squarrosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Diospyros squarrosa Klotzsch, 1861 | |
Diospyros squarrosa, the rigid star-berry, is a dioecious, deciduous shrub or small tree that is native to the tropical and subtropical Afrotropics.[1] Its wood and edible, fleshy fruit are harvested locally.[2]
Description
The bark is grey to brown, and smooth with shallow longitudinal fissures.[3] It grows from 2 to 10 metres tall, and may start flowering while still small.[2] They produce flowers from early to midsummer, which are greenish to creamy-white and fragrant.[1] The flowers are axillary, in lax cymes in males plants, and solitary in female plants.[3] The near-spherical fruit (of female plants) are some 2 cm in diameter. They ripen to a dark yellow colour, and contain 8 to 10 seeds.[3] The calyx lobes are conspicuous. The dull green leaves have clear net-veining on their undersides,[1] and become glabrous when fully grown.
Habitat
It grows on stream verges and in riparian forest, on rocky hillsides and at the bases of granite domes.[1] In some areas they occur along the major river valleys and at higher altitudes are associated with termite mounds. It occurs from near sea level to about 1,200 meters.[2]
Range
It has been recorded in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and the DRC.
References
- 1 2 3 4 Hyde, Mark; et al. "Diospyros squarrosa Klotzsch". Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 "Diospyros squarrosa Klotzsch Ebenaceae". Useful Tropical Plants. tropical.theferns.info. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
- 1 2 3 Friis, I.; Thulin, M. (2006–2008). "Diospyros squarrosa". Global Plants. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 18 August 2016.