- Family:
- Celastraceae R.Br.
Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes.

[FZ]
Celastraceae, N. K. Robson. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966
- Morphology General Habit
- Shrub or tree or rarely a shrublet, (0·15)1–9(15) m. high, unarmed or with spines up to 4 cm. long, axillary or terminating short axillary branches, glabrous, without latex; branches unlined, ± flattened, reddish-purple to reddish-brown, often densely glaucous, and sometimes with numerous pale indistinct lenticels at first, becoming terete and eventually grey-brown.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves fasciculate or not, petiolate;lamina pale green, usually glaucous, sometimes with reddish midrib, often mottled (at least when dry), 2–11·6 × 0·4–5·7(6·3) cm., oblong or rarely ovate to obovate or oblanceolate or oblong-elliptic or rarely subcircular, rounded or retuse to obtuse or apiculate at the apex, with margin ± densely regularly obtusely serrulate or serrulate-crenulate to subentire or very rarely entire, cuneate to angustate at the base, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, with lateral nerves and relatively lax reticulate venation slightly prominent or not prominent; petiole 3–13(20) mm. long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Cymes dichasial at first, becoming monochasial, solitary and axillary or 1–6 on short axillary shoots or occasionally in axillary panicles, with peduncle 1–16 mm. long;pedicels 0·7–4(6) mm. long, articulated in the lower 1/3 or rarely 1/2; flowers 3–60 or more in each cyme, 2–6 mm. in diam., dioecious or rarely monoecious, scented.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Sepals 5, subequal, 0·3–1·2 mm. long, oblong-lanceolate to ovate-triangular or subcircular, obtuse to rounded with margin ciliolate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Petals 5, white or greenish-white to pale yellow, sometimes tinged pink, 1–3·5 mm. long, elliptic to oblong-elliptic or oblanceolate, with margin finely ciliolate.
- sex Male
- Male flowers with stamens 5, shorter than the petals, with filaments 0·5–1 mm. long, slender, arising below disk;disk relatively broad, flat or slightly concave, shallowly 5–10-lobed; pistillode small, globose.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Female flowers with staminodes 5, shorter than ovary; disk as in male flowers; ovary 2(3)-locular, globose, scarcely immersed in the disk; style about as long as ovary, 2(3)-fid at the apex, with small stigmas. Male flowers with stamens 5, shorter than the petals, with filaments 0·5–1 mm. long, slender, arising below disk;disk relatively broad, flat or slightly concave, shallowly 5–10-lobed; pistillode small, globose.
- sex Female
- Female flowers with staminodes 5, shorter than ovary; disk as in male flowers; ovary 2(3)-locular, globose, scarcely immersed in the disk; style about as long as ovary, 2(3)-fid at the apex, with small stigmas.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule pink to deep red, 2–6 mm. long, globose to pyriform, coriaceous, smooth.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds 1–2, dark reddish-brown, glossy, with a fleshy smooth rose-pink aril obliquely covering the lower1</3–2/3.
[FWTA]
Celastraceae, R. A. Blakelock. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:2. 1958
- Morphology General Habit
- A savannah shrub or small tree, up to 16 ft. high
- Morphology General Shoots
- Young shoots often red
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers whitish
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Fruit red.
[FTEA]
Celastraceae, N.K.B. Robson, N. Hallé, B. Mathew & R. Blakelock†. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1994
- Morphology General Habit
- Shrub or tree or rarely a shrublet (not in Flora area), (0.15–)1–9(–15) m. high, unarmed or with spines up to 4 cm. long, axillary or terminating short axillary branches, glabrous, without latex; branches unlined, ± flattened, reddish purple to reddish brown, often densely glaucous, and sometimes with numerous pale indistinct lenticels at first, becoming terete and eventually grey-brown.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves fasciculate or not, petiolate; lamina pale green, usually glaucous, sometimes with reddish midrib, often mottled (at least when dry), oblong or rarely ovate to obovate or oblanceolate or oblong-elliptic or rarely subcircular, 2–11.6 × 0.4–5.7(–6.3) cm., rounded or retuse to obtuse or apiculate at the apex, with margin ± densely regularly obtusely serrulate or serrulate-crenulate to subentire or very rarely entire, cuneate to attenuate at the base, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, with lateral nerves and relatively lax reticulate venation slightly prominent or not prominent; petiole 3–13(–20) mm. long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Cymes 1–3.5 cm. long, ± slender, dichasial at first, becoming monochasial, solitary and axillary or 1–6 on short axillary shoots, with peduncle 1–16 mm. long; pedicels 0.7–4(–6) mm. long, articulated in the lower 1/3(–1/2); flowers scented, 3–60 or more in each cyme, 2–6 mm. in diameter, unisexual (plants dioecious or rarely monoecious).
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Sepals 5, subequal, oblong-lanceolate to ovate-triangular or subcircular, 0.3–1.2 mm. long, obtuse to rounded, with margin ciliolate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Petals 5, white or greenish white to pale yellow, sometimes tinged pink, elliptic to oblong-elliptic or oblanceolate, 1–3.5 mm. long, with margin finely ciliolate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Male flowers:stamens 5, shorter than the petals, with filaments 0.5–1 mm. long, slender, arising below disc; disc relatively broad, flat or slightly concave, shallowly 5–10-lobed; pistillode small, globose. Female flowers:staminodes 5, shorter than the ovary; disc as in ♂; ovary 2(–3)-locular, globose, scarcely immersed in the disc; style ± as long as the ovary, shorter than the petals, 2(–3)-fid at the apex, with small stigmas.
- sex Male
- Male flowers:stamens 5, shorter than the petals, with filaments 0.5–1 mm. long, slender, arising below disc; disc relatively broad, flat or slightly concave, shallowly 5–10-lobed; pistillode small, globose.
- sex Female
- Female flowers:staminodes 5, shorter than the ovary; disc as in ♂; ovary 2(–3)-locular, globose, scarcely immersed in the disc; style ± as long as the ovary, shorter than the petals, 2(–3)-fid at the apex, with small stigmas.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule pink to deep red, globose to pyriform, 2–6 mm. long, coriaceous, smooth.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds 1–2, dark reddish brown, glossy, with a fleshy smooth white aril obliquely covering the lower 1/3–2/3.
- Figures
- Fig. 2/6–10, p. 15.
- Habitat
- Deciduous woodland, thickets, scrub, wooded grassland, termitaria and river banks; 45–2280 m.
- Distribution
- K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 Africa south of the Sahara from Senegal to Eritrea and southward to northern Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, (Transvaal and Natal)
[FSOM]
M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS
- Morphology General Habit
- Shrublet to tree, up to 8(–13) m high, unarmed or with spines up to 5 cm long
- Morphology Branches
- Branches wine-red, glaucous to grey with indistinct whitish lenticels, glabrous
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves alternate; petiole 2–17 mm long; blade 3.2–12.5 x 1.2–8 cm, elliptic or oblong to obovate or oblanceolate, ± leathery, glabrous, acute to rounded, retuse or truncate at the apex, cuneate at the base, margin crenulate to crenate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Cymes 7–30(–50) mm long, glabrous; peduncle 2.6–17(–26) mm long; pedicels 0.5–5 mm long; flowers 3–60 or more in each cyme, 1.3–7 mm wide, functionally unisexual
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Sepals 5, 0.5–1 x 0.5–1.3 mm, ovate to triangular, with ciliolate margins
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Petals 5, 1.2–4 x 0.7–2.5 mm, elliptic to oblong or oblanceolate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Female flowers with 5 staminodes shorter than the ovary, ovary 2(–3)-celled Male flowers with 5 stamens longer than the pistillode
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
- Disk ± concave, 5–10-lobed
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule pink to red when mature, green when young, globose, 3–5(–7) mm long, glabrous
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds 1–2, dark red to brown, glossy, with a white aril covering 1/3–2/3 of the surface.
- Distribution
- N1–3; C1, 2; S1–3 in tropical Africa from Eritrea and Ethiopia to Senegal and southwards to South Africa, in North Africa and the Canary Islands; southern Spain; Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh; Madagascar
- Ecology
- Altitude range 140–1300 m.
- Vernacular
- Godxantool (Somali).
Native to:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Canary Is., Caprivi Strip, Central African Repu, Chad, Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Iran, Ivory Coast, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Northern Provinces, Oman, Pakistan, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
- English
- Confetti bush, Confetti spikethorn, Confetti tree, Red spike thorn
Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep 19, 2008 | Crawford, F. [58], Namibia | K000450361 | No | ||
Jan 1, 1964 | Bojer [s.n.], Madagascar | Maytenus senegalensis | K000035871 | Unknown type material | Yes |
Jan 1, 1964 | Davey, J.T. [66], Mali | Maytenus senegalensis | K000386485 | No | |
Jan 1, 1964 | Story, R. [5041], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511098 | No | |
Jan 1, 1964 | Drummond, R.B. [5246], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511100 | No | |
Jan 1, 1964 | Baum, H. [565], Angola | Maytenus senegalensis | K000035859 | Unknown type material | Yes |
Jan 1, 1964 | Robertson [45], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511099 | No | |
Jan 1, 1956 | Volkens, G. [2088], Tanzania | Maytenus senegalensis | K000035852 | Yes | |
Jan 1, 1955 | Olufsen, O. [93], Mali | Maytenus senegalensis | K000386484 | No | |
Jan 1, 1955 | Hagerup, O. [210], Mali | Maytenus senegalensis | K000386486 | No | |
Faulkner, H. [2061], Tanzania | Maytenus senegalensis | 16441.000 | No | ||
Tweedie, E.M. [1241], Kenya | Maytenus senegalensis | 9794.000 | No | ||
Sihvonen, J. [136], Burkina Faso | Maytenus senegalensis | K000386483 | No | ||
Hoogh, R.J. de [33], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511102 | No | ||
Brown, R.C. [6618], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511101 | No | ||
Smith, P.A. [2092], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511103 | No | ||
Hiemstra, H. [265], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511096 | No | ||
Smith, P.A. [1739], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511095 | No | ||
Mott, P.J. [266], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511097 | No | ||
Smith, P.A. [617], Botswana | Maytenus senegalensis | K000511094 | No |
First published in Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 17: 541 (1893)
Accepted by
- Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
- Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Seed Plants Database in ACCESS G: 1-40325.
- Guinea, E. (1948). Catálogo razonado de las plantas del Sáhara Español Anales del Jardin Botanico de Madrid 8: 357-429.
- Jordaan, M. (2012). A monograph of Gymnosporia (Celastraceae): 1-759. Thesis, Faculty Nat. Agric. Sci., Univ. of Pretoria.
- Kalema, J. & Beentje, H. (2012). Conservation checklist of the trees of Uganda: 1-235. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Mannheimer, C.A. & Curtis, B.A. (eds.) (2009). Le Roux and Müller's field guide to the trees and shrubs of Namibia, rev. ed.: 1-525. Macmillan Education Namibia, Windhoek.
- Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
Literature
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Akoègninou, A., van der Burg, W.J. & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (eds.) (2006). Flore Analytique du Bénin: 1-1034. Backhuys Publishers.
- Audru, J., Cesar, J. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1994). Les Plantes Vasculaires de la République de Djibouti. Flore Illustrée 1: 1-336. CIRAD, Départerment d'Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaire, Djibouti.
- Barry, J. P. & Celles, J.S. (1991). Flore de Mauritanie 1: 1-359. Centre Regional de Documentation Pedagogique, Nice.
- Boudet, G., Lebrun, J.P. & Demange, R. (1986). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Mali: 1-465. Etudes d'Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux.
- Boulvert, Y. (1977). Catalogue de la Flore de Centrafrique 3: 1-89. ORSTROM, Bangui.
- Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1989 publ. 1990). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 3: 1-659. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
- Hutchinson, J., Dalziel, J.M. & Keay, R.W.J. (1954-1958). Flora of West Tropical Africa, ed. 2, 1: 1-828.
- Jones, M. (1991). A checklist of Gambian plants: 1-33. Michael Jones, The Gambia College.
- Jordaan, M. (2012). A monograph of Gymnosporia (Celastraceae): 1-759. Thesis, Faculty Nat. Agric. Sci., Univ. of Pretoria.
- Kalema, J. & Beentje, H. (2012). Conservation checklist of the trees of Uganda: 1-235. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Lebrun, J.-P., Audru, J., Gaston, A. & Mosnier, M. (1972). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Tchad Méridional: 1-289. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
- Lebrun, J.p., Toutain, B., Gaston, A. & Boudet, G. (1991). Catalogue des Plantes Vasculaires du Burkina Faso: 1-341. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
- Lewalle, J. (1970). Liste floristique et répartition altitudinale de la flore du Burundi occidental: 1-84. Université officielle de Bujumbura.
- Onana, J.M. (2011). The vascular plants of Cameroon a taxonomic checklist with IUCN assessments: 1-195. National herbarium of Cameroon, Yaoundé.
- Peyre de Fabregues, B. & Lebrun, J.-P. (1976). Catalogue des Plantes Vascularies du Niger: 1-433. Institut d' Elevage et de Médecine Vétérinaire des Pays Tropicaux, Maisons Alfort.
- Robyns, W. & al. (eds.) (1948-1963). Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi 1-10.
- Sita, P. & Moutsambote, J.-M. (2005). Catalogue des plantes vasculaires du Congo, ed. sept. 2005: 1-158. ORSTOM, Centre de Brazzaville.
- Troupin, G. (ed.) (1983). Flora du Rwanda 2: 1-603. Musee Royal de l'Afrique Centrale.
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