Family:
Ebenaceae Gürke
Genus:
Diospyros L.

Diospyros virgata (Gürke) Brenan

This species is accepted, and its native range is S. DR Congo to Caprivi Strip.

[FZ]

Ebenaceae, F. White. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Morphology General Habit
Usually a rhizomatous suffrutex up to 0·45 m. high and forming mats a few metres in diameter; when fire–protected a shrub up to 2·5 m. high.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves drying pale yellow–brown; lamina 4 x 1·5–7 x 3 cm., lanceolate, apex acute or subacute, the tip usually mucronate; lower surface densely fulvous–sericeous; secondary nerves in (3) 4–5 pairs, inconspicuous; tertiary nerves and veins invisible.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 0·4 cm. long, strigulose–tomentellous outside, lobed almost to the base; lobes 3(4) narrowly deltate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla 0·7–0·8 cm. long, cream, urceolate, strigulose–tomentellous almost to the base outside; lobes 3(4), ovate–deltate, 0·25 cm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 12–14, visible at the throat but included, 0·3–0·4 cm. long; filaments very short, inserted on the receptacle; anthers lanceolate, apiculate, glabrous.
sex Male
Stamens 12–14, visible at the throat but included, 0·3–0·4 cm. long; filaments very short, inserted on the receptacle; anthers lanceolate, apiculate, glabrous. Pistillode represented by a tuft of hairs. Calyx 0·4 cm. long, strigulose–tomentellous outside, lobed almost to the base; lobes 3(4) narrowly deltate. Corolla 0·7–0·8 cm. long, cream, urceolate, strigulose–tomentellous almost to the base outside; lobes 3(4), ovate–deltate, 0·25 cm. long. Male flowers pale yellow, sessile in 1–7–flowered clusters in the axils of leaves or of fallen leaves.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistillodes
Pistillode represented by a tuft of hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Female flowers solitary, shortly pedicellate, with 6 or more deltate–bracts, otherwise similar to the male but corolla–tube slightly wider and more contracted at the throat. Male flowers pale yellow, sessile in 1–7–flowered clusters in the axils of leaves or of fallen leaves.
sex Female
Female flowers solitary, shortly pedicellate, with 6 or more deltate–bracts, otherwise similar to the male but corolla–tube slightly wider and more contracted at the throat. Staminodes 3(4), filiform, inserted on the receptacle. Ovary 0·5 x 0·4 cm., locules 6. Styles 3, 0·15 cm. long, erect, glabrous distally, stigmatic on inner surface.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Staminodes
Staminodes 3(4), filiform, inserted on the receptacle.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 0·5 x 0·4 cm., locules 6.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Styles 3, 0·15 cm. long, erect, glabrous distally, stigmatic on inner surface.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 6 or fewer.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruiting calyx not accrescent, 0·4 cm. long. Fruit 2·5 x 2·5 cm., subglobose, fulvous–tomentose, outer pericarp somewhat woody.

Native to:

Angola, Caprivi Strip, Zambia, Zaïre

Diospyros virgata (Gürke) Brenan appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Brenan, J.P.M. [7989], Zambia 11779.000

First published in Kew Bull. 8: 437 (1953)

Accepted by

  • Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Govaerts, R. (2000). World Checklist of Seed Plants Database in ACCESS D: 1-30141.
  • 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 Zambesiaca

    Flora Zambesiaca
    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

  • 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