4734.000 Allophylus L.

Description of the genus

Trees or shrubs. Leaves 3-foliolate, usually minutely glandular beneath. Inflorescence (in ours) a raceme-like, branched or unbranched, thyrse. Flowers unisexual, usually male and female in the same inflorescence (female apparently bisexual but anthers sterile), small (sepals less than 2 mm, petals less than 1.5 mm). Sepals 4, the 2 outer larger. Petals 4, each with a hairy scale, greenish, white or yellowish. Stamens 8. Ovary 2-lobed, loculi 1-ovulate. Fruit a drupe, with 1(-3) cocci, ± spherical (in ours). Allophylus species and species of Searsia both have 3-foliolate leaves and look superficially similar. See this note as to how to separate them.

Worldwide: c.150-200 species, widespread in tropical and subtropical regions.

Zimbabwe: 7 taxa.

Allophylus africanus

Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
abyssinicus (Hochst.) Radlk.EDescription
africanus P. Beauv.N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
chaunostachys Gilg[VU]EDescription, Image
chaunostachys × rubifolius E
chirindensis Baker f.[NrEnd?][VU]EDescription
rubifolius (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Engl. var. rubifolius EDescription, Image
rubifolius (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Engl. var. alnifolius (Baker) Friis & VollesenW,E,SDescription, Image

Other sources of information about Allophylus:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Allophylus
Flora of Caprivi: Allophylus
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Allophylus
Flora of Malawi: Allophylus
Flora of Mozambique: Allophylus
Flora of Zambia: Allophylus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Allophylus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Allophylus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Allophylus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Allophylus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Allophylus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Allophylus
JSTOR Plant Science: Allophylus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Allophylus
Plants of the World Online: Allophylus
Tropicos: Allophylus
Wikipedia: Allophylus

Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Genus page: Allophylus.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=901, retrieved 28 March 2024

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