Family:
Combretaceae R.Br.
Genus:
Terminalia L.

Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC.

This species is accepted, and its native range is Tanzania to S. Africa.

[FTEA]

Combretaceae, G. E. Wickens. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1973

Morphology General Habit
Small spreading tree 3–16 m. high; bark grey-brown or pale cream, longitudinally fissured; branchlets with purplish black bark peeling off in strips to reveal a light brown newly exposed surface; young shoots sericeous-tomentose.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves spirally arranged; lamina narrowly obovate-elliptic to narrowly elliptic, 5.5–12.5 cm. long, 1.5–4.5 cm. wide, apex acute to rounded, base cuneate, sericeous-pubescent to densely silvery sericeous-tomentose beneath, becoming somewhat glabrescent when old; lateral nerves 5–8 pairs, usually inconspicuous; petiole 2–10 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences of lateral spikes 5–7.5 cm. long; peduncle 2.5–3 cm. long, densely sericeous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish white, sericeous-tomentose outside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit (fig. 12/12, p. 79) pinkish to purplish brown, broadly elliptic, 3–4 cm. long, 1.7–2.5 cm. wide, apex obtuse to rounded and usually emarginate, base obtuse to subtruncate, finely tomentose; stipe 5–7 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Germination
Cotyledons 2, petioles 1.5–2 cm. long, arising below soil-level.
Habitat
Brachystegia woodland and wooded grassland; 450–1300 m.
Distribution
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8

[FZ]

Combretaceae, A. W. Exell. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
Small deciduous bushy tree 3–12(16) m. high or shrub; crown flat or rounded; bark grey-brown or pale-brown to grey-black, longitudinally fissured, fresh bark pale-rusty-red; branchlets with purplish-black bark peeling to reveal a light-brown newly exposed surface; young shoots sericeous-tomentose.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves spirally arranged, petiolate; lamina 5·5–12·5 x 1·5–4·5 cm., chartaceous, narrowly obovate- elliptic to narrowly elliptic, densely silvery-sericeous-tomentose (somewhat glabrescent when old), apex acute to rounded, base cuneate; lateral nerves usually inconspicuous beneath; petiole 2–10 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences of lateral spikes 5–7·5 cm. long; peduncle 2·5–3 cm. long, densely sericeous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers greenish-white.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle
Lower receptacle sericeous-tomentose; upper receptacle sericeous but less densely so.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals triangular-acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4 mm. long; anthers 0·5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
Disk pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit pinkish or purplish-brown, 3–4 x 1·7–2·5 cm. broadly elliptic, apex obtuse to rounded and usually emarginate, base obtuse to subtruncate, finely tomentose, stipe 5–7 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Cotyledons
Cotyledons 2, c. 2 cm. in diam., irregularly subcircular with petioles 1·5–2 cm. long, arising below soil level.

Native to:

Angola, Botswana, Cape Provinces, Caprivi Strip, KwaZulu-Natal, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Northern Provinces, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

English
Silver cluster-leaf, Silver terminalia

Terminalia sericea Burch. ex DC. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Jan 1, 1967 Harbor, C.C. [6616], Botswana K000489149
Jan 1, 1967 Enews, J. [327], Botswana K000489152
Jan 1, 1967 Patterson, M. [26], Botswana K000489150
Burchell, W.J. [2399], South Africa K000413904 Unknown type material
Burchell, W.J. [2399], South Africa K000413905 Unknown type material
Burtt-Davy, J. [5339], South Africa K000413906 Unknown type material
Long, D.G. [13], Botswana K000489148
Hoogh, R.J. de [35], Botswana K000489151
Skarpe, C. [196], Botswana K000489144
Burchell, W.J. [2330-3], South Africa K000413903
Burtt-Davy, J. [5339], South Africa K000413907 Unknown type material
Welwitsch [4286], Angola K000413923
Allen, A. [209], Botswana K000489153
Welwitsch [4294], Angola K000413924
Brown, D.C. [6996], Botswana K000489145

First published in Prodr. 3: 13 (1828)

Accepted by

  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Launert, E. (ed.) (1978). Flora Zambesiaca 4: 1-658. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Liben, L. (1968). Flore du Congo du Rwanda et du Burundi, Combretaceae: 1-105. Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Bruxelles.
  • 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.
  • Wickens, G.E. (1973). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Combretaceae: 1-99.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Launert, E. (ed.) (1978). Flora Zambesiaca 4: 1-658. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Liben, L. (1968). Flore du Congo du Rwanda et du Burundi, Combretaceae: 1-105. Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, Bruxelles.
  • 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.

Flora of Tropical East Africa

  • DC., Prodr. 3: 13 (1828).
  • Engl. & Diels in Monographieen Afrikanischer Pflanzen-Familien und Gattungen 4: 20, t. 13/C (1900).
  • Exell in Kirkia 7: 234 (1970).
  • Griffiths in Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Botany 55: 853, fig. 14 (1959).
  • J.P.M. Brenan, Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire no. 5, part II, Tanganyika Territory p. 145 (1949).
  • Laws, in Flora of Tropical Africa 2: 416 (1871).
  • Liben in Flore du Congo Belge, du Ruanda et du Burundi, Combr.: 94 (1968).

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  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

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