Boscia coriacea Graells

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Much-branched shrub or small tree up to 6–8 m tall, with grey, often grooved bark; young twigs glabrous, rarely puberulous

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate; blade lanceolate, lanceolate-elliptic, ovate or obovate, sometimes asymmetric, 5–8(–15) x 1.5–3.5(–6) cm, leathery, pale green or glaucous, glabrous, apically rounded, acute or retuse, mucronulate, basally cuneate or attenuate, with midrib and primary nerves prominent on both surfaces; petiole wrinkled, glabrous, 3–6(–8) mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Racemes terminal, simple or compound, subumbellate or corymbose, usually dense; rhachis 2.5–4(–7) cm long, glabrous; bracts trifid, glabrous or ciliolate, c. 2 mm long; pedicels thin, 3–6 mm long, thickened in fruit

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals ovate-elliptic, 2–3 x 1.5 mm, marginally puberulous

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacle disk reduced (c. 0.4 mm long), fimbriate

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 6(–7); filaments 3–4(–5) mm long; anthers c. 1 mm long

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynophore

Gynophore c. 3 mm long; ovary ovoid, rusty-blackish, c. 1 mm long, with capitate stigma on a very short style

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit globose, (8–)10–15 mm in diam., dark green, densely tomentose, later glabrescent.

Distribution

N1–3; C1, 2; S1–3 E and NE Africa from Sudan and Ethiopia southwards to Tanzania.

Ecology

Altitude up to c. 1600 m.

Vernacular

Aitinabi, dhegayare, filaared, gilbot, qadu, qalaanqal, ruguntà (Somali).

Capparidaceae, J. Elffers, R. A. Graham & G. P. Dewolf. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1964

Morphology General Habit

Evergreen, very twiggy shrub or small tree, up to 7 m. tall.

Morphology Stem

Young twigs glabrous or minutely puberulous and glabrescent.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves petiolate; bladeelliptic or lanceolate-elliptic, usually narrow, more rarely broad, commonly ± 6 cm. long, 1.8 cm. wide, apically attenuate, sharply mucronate, basally cuneate, rigid and leathery, pale, glaucous, greyish-olive-green, glabrous; midrib very pronounced beneath, pale yellowish-green; primary nerves rather conspicuous by their pale colour, the secondary venation almost imperceptible; petiole 4–8 mm. long, wrinkled, glabrous or puberulous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence a terminal or axillary, short dense many-flowered raceme, rarely exceeding 3 cm. in length; pedicels filiform, thickening as the fruit ripens, 7–10 mm. long, glabrous or minutely puberulent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals ovate-elliptic to elliptic-oblong, ± 3 mm. long, marginally puberulous; receptacle-rim prominent with an uneven frill-like edge.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 6; filaments 4–5 mm. long; anthers 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynophore

Gynophore rather shorter than the filaments when young, later equalling or a little exceeding them; ovary ovoid, appearing glabrous (× 20 magnification).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruits spheroid, 10–14 mm. in diameter, sometimes apiculate, olive-green at first but tending to darken with age, densely and softly velvety tomentose, especially when young.

Figures

Fig. 9/1–3, p. 54.

Habitat

Deciduous bushland, semi-desert scrub and grassland with scattered trees; 150–1500 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K6 K7 T2 T3 U1