| Home | > | List of families | > | Connaraceae | > | Cnestis | > | polyphylla |
| Synonyms: |
Cnestis bullata Baill. Cnestis glabra Lam. Cnestis lurida Baill. Cnestis natalensis (Hochst. ex Krauss) Planch. & Sond. ex Sond. Fagarastrum natalense Walp. Omphalobium discolor Sond. Sarmienta cauliflora Sieber Zanthoxylum natalense Hochst. Hochst. ex Krauss |
| Common names: | Itch-pod (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Large woody climber, scandent shrub or small tree with trailing branches. Leaves alternate to sub-opposite, imparipinnate, up to 20 cm long with 3-9 pairs leaflets and a terminal one, somewhat leathery, shiny green above, blueish-green and sometimes velvety and with a prominent midrib beneath; lateral leaflets oblong, 2-4 cm long, asymmetric at the base; terminal leaflet obovate, 2-5 cm long. Inflorescences on bare branches below the leaves or on the old wood, racemose, 4–8 cm long, most parts densely cinnamon hairy. Flowers small star-shaped, white to cream or yellowish-green;sepals and petals free. Fruit a recurved and beaked follicle up to 2·5 cm long, brown to orange-red, hairy. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | polyphylla: many-leaved |
| Habitat: | In forest patches and along margins or in riverine fringes. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1100 - 1200 m |
| Flowering time: | Sep - Oct |
| Worldwide distribution: | Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape South Africa. Also in Madagascar. |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | W,E |
| Growth form(s): | Climber, tree, liane. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | Vulnerable |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 177. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 14. Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Pages 252 - 253. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 239. As Cnestis natalensis Golding, J.S. (ed.) (2002). Zimbabwe Plant Red Data List. Southern African Plant Red Data Lists. SABONET 14 Page 163. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 36. Mendes, E.J. (1966). Connaraceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 616 - 617. As Cnestis natalensis (Includes a picture). Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 142 - 143. (Includes a picture). |
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