Family:
Aphloiaceae Takht.
Genus:
Aphloia Benn.

Aphloia theiformis (Vahl) Benn.

This species is accepted, and its native range is SE. Kenya to S. Africa, W. Indian Ocean.

[FZ]

Flacourtiaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:1. 1960

Morphology General Habit
Glabrous, evergreen tree up to 14 m. tall; branchlets brown, longitudinally striate with a stronger line decurrent from a stipular cushion.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-lamina 3–8 x 1.2–2.75 cm., narrowly elliptic to elliptic or oblanceolate, apex obtuse or subacute, base cuneate, margins serrate or serrulate, often entire towards the base, lateral nerves in c. 10 pairs, inconspicuous; petiole up to c. 3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary, or in fascicles of 1–3 in the leaf axils; pedicels greenish, c. 1 cm. long with 1–3 minute, deltoid bracteoles c. 1 mm. long towards their bases.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals white turning yellowish, c. 5 x 5 mm., imbricate, orbicular, connate for 1–1.5 mm. at the base, the inner more membranous and petaloid, margins membranous and entire or denticulate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens very numerous; filaments slender, 4–5 mm. long; anthers orbicular, c. 0.7 mm. in diam.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary ellipsoid, and sometimes very shortly stipitate; stigma subsessile with a median furrow, irregularly sublobed, as wide or wider than the young ovary.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a white, fleshy berry with the stigma persistent at the apex.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds c. 6, c. 2 mm. in diam., discoid with a glossy whitish testa.

[FTEA]

Flacourtiaceae, H. Sleumer (Rijksherbarium, Leiden). Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1975

Morphology General Habit
Shrub or generally a slender tree, up to 20 m. tall.
Morphology Branches
Branchlets drooping, brown, longitudinally striate with a stronger line decurrent from a stipular cushion.
Morphology Leaves
Leaf-blades narrowly elliptic to elliptic, or obovate-elliptic, or oblanceolate, apex subacute or obtuse, base cuneate, firmly chartaceous to subcoriaceous, often becoming bluish-green when dried, glabrous, serrate to serrulate, often entire towards the base, 3–8 cm. long, 1.2–2.8 cm. broad; lateral nerves 8–10 pairs, rather inconspicuous; petioles up to 3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers axillary, solitary or 2–3 (rarely more) in a fascicle or short raceme, 8–10 mm. in diameter; pedicels ± 1 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals white, turning yellowish, orbicular, ± 5 mm. across, connate for 1–1.5 mm. at the base, the inner 3 more membranous and petaloid.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Filaments 4–5 mm. long; anthers orbicular, 0.7 mm. across.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary ellipsoid; stigma as wide as the ovary, persistent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Berry globose, white, ± 5 mm. across.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds ± 2 mm. across.
Figures
Fig. 19.
Habitat
Upland rain-forest and mist forest, riverine forest, upland evergreen bushland; 1300–2900 m.
Distribution
K7 T2 T3 T6 T7 T8

Native to:

Comoros, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Northern Provinces, Rodrigues, Réunion, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zimbabwe

Aphloia theiformis (Vahl) Benn. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Nov 1, 1989 Miller, J.S. [3668], Madagascar K000383417 No
Jan 1, 1989 McPherson, G. [14491], Madagascar K000383412 No
Jan 1, 1989 Randrianasolo, A. [3], Madagascar K000383416 No
Jan 1, 1986 Dorr, L.J. [3285], Madagascar K000383402 No
Jan 1, 1986 Barnett, L. [167], Madagascar K000383392 No
Jan 1, 1957 Galpin, E.E. [1082], South Africa K000231318 Unknown type material Yes
Mauritius K000231320 Yes
Timberlake, J. [5354], Malawi K000614697 No
Goudot, J. [s.n.], Madagascar K000383355 holotype No
Lorence, D. [1899], Madagascar K000383356 No
Cornu, M.G. [67], Madagascar K000383364 No
Cours, G. [2522], Madagascar K000383365 No
Hildebrandt [3701], Madagascar K000383381 No
Schlieben, H.-.J. [8229], Madagascar K000383388 No
Barnett, L. [141], Madagascar K000383390 No
Baron, R. [2809], Madagascar K000383399 No
Baron, R. [2932], Madagascar K000383400 No
Dumetz, N. [531], Madagascar K000383411 No
Pervillé, A. [s.n.], Madagascar K000383420 No
Carlson, B. [218], Madagascar K000383421 No
Hodgkin, H.T. [155], Madagascar K000383426 No
Major, F. [375], Madagascar K000383429 No
Lowry II, P.P. [4146], Madagascar K000383438 No
Scott-Elliot, G.F. [23], Madagascar K000383434 No
Ponsonby, L. [11], Madagascar K000383414 No
Schatz, G.E. [1803], Madagascar K000383405 No
Thouvenot, E. [14], Madagascar K000383409 No
Bernardi, L. [11062], Madagascar K000383437 No
Hodgkin, H.T. [319], Madagascar K000383423 No
Decary [5893], Madagascar K000383395 No
Hodgkin, H.T. [224], Madagascar K000383425 No
s.coll. [s.n.], Madagascar K000383428 No
Meeuse [5392], Madagascar K000383378 No
Hildebrandt [3701], Madagascar K000383383 No
Hodgkin, H.T. [323], Madagascar K000383424 No
Cours, G. [3036], Madagascar K000383366 No
Mphamba [63], Mozambique K000614281 No
Boivin, M. [6], Madagascar K000383398 No
Nicoll, M. [198], Madagascar K000383439 No
Lowry II, P.P. [4023], Madagascar K000383440 No
Lorence, D. [1878], Madagascar K000383357 No
Boivin [s.n.], Madagascar K000383410 No
Hodgkin, H.T. [353], Madagascar K000383422 No
Schlieben, H.-.J. [8073], Madagascar K000383393 No
Lowry II, P.P. [4160], Madagascar K000383441 No
Blackburn, J. [16], Madagascar K000383427 No
Dorr, L.J. [3343], Madagascar K000383403 No
Carlson, B. [185], Madagascar K000383415 No
Hildebrandt [3574], Madagascar K000383384 No
Timberlake, J. [5445], Mozambique K000614428 No
Davis [1010], Madagascar K000383350 No
Dumetz, N. [745], Madagascar K000383413 No
Harris, T. [498], Malawi K000614575 No
Schlieben, H.-.J. [8073], Madagascar K000383394 No
Decary [15180], Madagascar K000383397 No
Major, F. [623], Madagascar K000383430 No
McPherson, G. [14569], Madagascar K000383408 No
Wohlhauser, S. [370], Madagascar K000383387 No
Humbert, H. [3079], Madagascar K000383354 No
McPherson, G. [14408], Madagascar K000383407 No
Cours, G. [23717], Madagascar K000383367 No
Malcomber, S. [1259], Madagascar K000383362 No
Humbert [25685], Madagascar K000383369 No
Harris, T. [352], Mozambique K000613788 No
Humbert, H. [17979], Madagascar K000383352 No
Timberlake, J. [5480], Mozambique K000614458 No
Baron, R. [2832], Madagascar K000383401 No
Parker, G.W. [s.n.], Madagascar K000383435 No
Afzelius, K. [s.n.], Madagascar K000383386 No
Dorr, L.J. [3666], Madagascar K000383391 No
Major, F. [289], Madagascar K000383432 No
Miller, J.S. [3532], Madagascar K000383406 No
Timberlake, J. [5240], Mozambique K000613968 No
Hildebrandt [4117], Madagascar K000383382 No
Rakoto, R. [213], Madagascar K000383371 No
Major, F. [107], Madagascar K000383431 No
s.coll. [352], Madagascar K000383385 No
Decary [5520], Madagascar K000383396 No
s.coll. [2119], Madagascar K000383353 No
Humbert [24629], Madagascar K000383368 No
Kitching, L. [s.n.], Madagascar K000383436 No
Scott-Elliot, G.F. [2700], Madagascar K000383376 No
Lam, H.J. [5732], Madagascar K000383380 No
Kitching, L. [s.n.], Madagascar K000383433 No
Thouvenot, E. [14], Madagascar K000383419 No
Humbert [24811], Madagascar K000383374 No
s.coll. [183], Madagascar K000383349 No
Miller, J.S. [3721], Madagascar K000383404 No
Timberlake, J. [5436], Mozambique K000614421 No
Cours, G. [134], Madagascar K000383370 No
Jeffrey, C. [545], Seychelles Aphloia seychellensis 24488.000 No

First published in Pl. Jav. Rar.: 192 (1840)

Accepted by

  • Barthelat, F. (2019). La flore illustrée de Mayotte: 1-687. Biotope éditions.
  • Bosser, J., Cadet, T., Julien, H.R. & Marais, W. (eds.) (1980). Flore des Mascareignes 31-50: 1. IRD Éditions, MSIRI, RBG-Kew, Paris.
  • Exell, A.W. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1960). Flora Zambesiaca 1(1): 1-336. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Govaerts, R. (1995). World Checklist of Seed Plants 1(1, 2): 1-483, 529. MIM, Deurne.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • Benn. in Benn. & Br., Pl. Jav. Rar. 2: 192 (1840).
  • Dale & Greenway, Kenya Trees and Shrubs p. 223 (1961).
  • Wild in Flora Zambesiaca 1: 279, t. 48 (1960).

  • 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

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    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 2022. 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 2022. 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