Diospyros lycioides lycioides
Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record
Image 1
Leaves
04 Jul 2006
Image 2
Leaves (note hairs)
04 Jul 2006
Image 3
Fruit
17 Dec 2006
Image 4
Leaves
19 Mar 2007
Image 5
Flowers
28 Apr 2007
Image 6
Leaves and fruit
01 Jan 2012
| Family: | Ebenaceae |
| Full name: | Diospyros lycioides Desf. subsp. lycioides |
| ID status: | Fairly certain |
| Afrikaans common name(s): | Bloubos, Jakkalsbessie, Karoobloubos, Bloubessiebos, Swartbas, Swartwortel |
| English common name(s): | Blue bush, Monkey plum, Starapple, Karoo Bluebush, Star apple |
| Synonym(s): | Diospyros lycioides Desf. subsp. lycioides (1805) Royena lycioides (Desf.) A.DC. |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: | Shrub or small tree up to 6 m high. Branchlets spreading at right–angles or slightly ascending at the ends, occasionally spinescent, mostly naked towards the base with the leaves crowded towards the tips. Chromosome numbers: 2n = 30, 60. (from JSTOR Global Plants website / Flora Zambesiaca) Semi-deciduous shrub, occasionally a small tree. LEAVES simple, small, elliptic to oblanceolate; both surfaces olive-green, covered with silvery hairs. FLOWERS small, solitary, cream-coloured to pale yellow. FRUIT an ovoid berry; orange to red or red-brown, with conspicuous calyx remains. Flowers may be overlooked, but the ripe fruit are conspicuous. There are two subspecies in Namibia, which can be separated by the visibly densely hairy leaves of subsp. sericea that are lacking in subsp. lycioides. (from Tree Atlas of Namibia) |
| Link(s) |
African Plant Database
JSTOR Plant Science Kew Herbarium Catalogue BGBM Berlin-Dahlem - Virtual Herbarium Züricher Herbarien iNaturalist (Namibia / Alex Dreyer) iNaturalist (Namibia) iNaturalist (southern Africa) Flora of Zimbabwe Fleurs de notre Terre - Galerie Namibie Tree Atlas of Namibia |
| Content last updated: | 18 Apr 2024 |
