Maurocenia

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Maurocenia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Celastrales
Family: Celastraceae
Subfamily: Celastroideae
Genus: Maurocenia
Mill.
Species: M. frangularia
Binomial name
Maurocenia frangularia
(L.) Mill.
Synonyms[1]

Cassine maurocenia L.
Maurocenia frangula Sond. Maurocenia capensis Sond.

Maurocenia frangularia (commonly known as Khoi Cherry or Vulture-berry) is a small, rounded tree of about 4 metres, that is endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa.[2]

The distinctively bright scarlet new growth.

It has small, fragrant, dioecious flowers, cherry-sized edible berries and hard yellow wood that is used to make musical instruments.

The leaves are distinctively round. They grow in opposite pairs up the stem with a noticeable symmetry, each new pair perpendicular to the previous. The leaves are a very dark green and leathery in texture. New growth is bright scarlet.

It naturally occurs only on the Cape Peninsula and in the neighbouring territory of the far south-west corner of the Western Cape. Here it is normally found in coastal bush and mountain ravines. [3]


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References

  1. ↑ "Taxon: Maurocenia frangularia (L.) Mill.". Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Retrieved 19 October 2010. 
  2. ↑ http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=1877-2
  3. ↑ http://www.terrestrial-biozones.net/Cape%20Vegetation/Cape%20Vegetation.pdf


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