Maerua racemulosa

Forest maerua
In Burman Bush, Durban
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Brassicales
Family: Capparaceae
Genus: Maerua
Species: M. racemulosa
Binomial name
Maerua racemulosa
Gilg & Gilg-Ben.
Synonyms
  • Maerua pedunculosa Sim
  • Boscia caffra Sond.
  • Niebuhria pedunculosa Hochst.[1]

Maerua racemulosa is a species of plant in the Capparaceae family, which is almost endemic to South Africa's coastal regions,[2] where it is a constituent of shady forest understory and valley bushveld. They are shrubs or small trees, with mostly simple leaves, and entire margins.[2] They flower profusely in mid-winter. Each flower bears numerous white filaments and a purple style, but no petals. The round fruit appear from August to October.[2] These are yellow when ripe and 1 cm in diameter. It is a food plant for some species of Colotis butterfly.

Source

  1. ↑ Foden, W., & Potter, L. "Maerua racemulosa (A.DC.) Gilg & Gilg-Ben.". Red List of South African Plants. SANBI. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Palgrave, K.C. (1984). Trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik. pp. 196–197. ISBN 0-86977-081-0.

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