Family:
Fabaceae Lindl.
Genus:
Guibourtia Benn.

Guibourtia coleosperma (Benth.) J.Léonard

This species is accepted, and its native range is S. DR Congo to N. Namibia.

[ILDIS]

International Legume Database and Information Service

Conservation
Not Threatened
Ecology
Africa: Zambezian woodland
Morphology General Habit
Perennial, Not climbing, Tree
Vernacular
Rhodesian Mahogany

[FZ]

Leguminosae, R.K. Brummitt, A.C. Chikuni, J.M. Lock and R.M. Polhill. Flora Zambesiaca 3:2. 2007

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Pod 2.5–3.5 × 1.6–2.2 cm, asymmetrically elliptic, flattened, glabrous, the wall wrinkled and with numerous resin-filled vesicles, 1-seeded, tardily dehiscent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seed dark brown, shiny, c.15 × 10 mm, broadly ellipsoidal, somewhat flattened; aril completely enclosing the seed, red when fresh, pale brown and brittle when dry.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Germination
Germination epigeal; cotyledons suborbicular to very broadly ovate, slightly asymmetric, 3–4-nerved from the base, glabrous.
Seedling
First true leaves similar to foliage leaves.
Morphology General Habit
Tree to 30 m tall; bark grey, smooth, sometimes flaking.
Morphology Branches
Branchlets brown, smooth, becoming grey with fine longitudinal cracks and red-brown lenticels, or entirely red-brown, glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves paripinnate, unijugate; stipules 15 × 2 mm, very narrowly ovate, very early caducous; petiole 1.5–3 cm long, glabrous; leaflets 3.5–8 × 2.3–4.5 cm, ovate to elliptic, asymmetric, apex acuminate, base cuneate, glabrous; a single main vein from the base, dividing the blade in a ratio of 2–3:1, venation slightly prominent on both surfaces, areolae with small resin vesicles.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences axillary and terminal, paniculate; axis angular, glabrous to very sparsely puberulous; bracts and bracteoles very early caducous, the bracts c.2 mm long, broadly ovate, pubescent, the bracteoles c.1.5 mm long, broadly ovate, pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers 7–8 mm long; pedicels 2–5 mm long, angled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals 4(5), unequal, c.6 × 2–4 mm, ovate, glabrous outside, densely puberulous inside.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Petals absent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10; filaments c.7 mm long, glabrous; anthers dorsifixed.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 2-ovulate, c.1 mm diameter, subcircular, glabrous; stipe very short, densely pubescent; style c.5 mm long, glabrous; stigma capitate, bilobed.

[ILDIS]
Use
Chemical products, Food and Drink, Medicine, Wood

Native to:

Angola, Botswana, Caprivi Strip, Namibia, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe

English
(Rhodesian) copalwood, African rosewood, Large False Mopane, Rhodesian teak

Guibourtia coleosperma (Benth.) J.Léonard appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Mar 1, 1949 Kirk, J. [s.n.], Zambia K000417926 Yes
Kirk, J. [s.n.], Zambia K000417927 Yes
Smith, P. [72], Botswana K000282565 Yes
Eren, J. [425], Zambia K000282566 No
Smith, P. [325], Botswana K000282567 Yes
Hisupa, S.M.C. [SMC19], Zambia K000282572 No
Rushworth, J.E. [1472], Zimbabwe K000282573 No
Long, D.G. [640], Botswana K000282569 No
Long, D.G. [690], Botswana K000282570 No
Winter, B. de [9145], Namibia K000282574 No
Menezes, A. [1330], Angola K000282568 No
Hisupa, S.M.C. [SMC10], Zambia K000282571 No

First published in Bull. Jard. Bot. État Bruxelles 19: 403 (1949)

Accepted by

  • Brummitt, R.K., Chikuni, A.C., Lock, J.M. & Polhill, R.M. (2007). 61. Leguminosae Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Flora Zambesiaca 3(2): 1-218. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • 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.
  • Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Seed Plants Database in ACCESS G: 1-40325.
  • Lock, J.M. (1989). Legumes of Africa a check-List: 1-619. 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.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Brummitt, R.K., Chikuni, A.C., Lock, J.M. & Polhill, R.M. (2007). 61. Leguminosae Subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Flora Zambesiaca 3(2): 1-218. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Lock, J.M. (1989). Legumes of Africa a check-List: 1-619. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

International Legume Database and Information Service

  • Robyns, W. (Ed.) (1952). Flore du Congo Belge, Vol. 3. Mimosoideae, Caesalpinoideae
  • Ross, J. H. (1982). Caesalpinoideae. In: Flora Southern Africa 16, pt. 1. Ross. J. H.
  • Watt, J. M. & Breyer-Brandwijk, M (1962). Medicinal & Poisonous Plants of Southern & Eastern Africa
  • White, F. (1962). Forest Flora of Northern Rhodesia.

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    Flora Zambesiaca
    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/

  • International Legume Database and Information Service

    International Legume Database and Information Service (ILDIS) V10.39 Nov 2011
    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

  • Plants and People Africa

    Common Names from Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com/
    © Plants and People Africa http://www.plantsandpeopleafrica.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/