Ptaeroxylon obliquum (Thunb.) Radlk.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Maleme Dam camp

Photo: Bryan Orford
Maleme Dam Camp, Matobo

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Synonyms:	Ptaeroxylon utile Eckl. & Zeyh. Rhus obliqua Thunb.
Common names:	Sneezewood (English) Umbengahonye (Ndebele) Umnembu (Ndebele) Umpahla (Ndebele) Umpandula (Ndebele)
Description:	Shrub or small to medium-sized deciduous tree. Bark whitish-grey, smooth when young, fissured in older specimens. Leaves opposite, crowded near the ends of branches, paripinnate with 3-7 pairs of leaflets, aromatic when crushed. Leaflets usually c. 2.5 × 1.3 cm, markedly asymmetric, blue-green to dark green, hairless; translucent gland-dots present; apex rounded or notched; margin entire. Flowers in axillary branched heads, white to creamy-yellow, unisexual on different trees, sweetly scented. Fruit a 2-winged capsule, notched at the base and apex, c. 2 × 1.5 cm, yellowish to reddish-brown with conspicuous veins, dehiscent into 2 valves, which remain on the tree for some time.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	obliquum: oblique, asymmetric, referring to the leaflets.
Flowering time:	Aug - Dec
Worldwide distribution:	Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini and South Africa as far as the Eastern Cape.
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Insects associated with this species:	Papilio demodocus demodocus (Food plant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated:	Saturday 14 February 2009
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 351. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 30. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 257. 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 69. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 99. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 28. White, F. & Styles, B.T. (1966). Ptaeroxylaceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 548 - 550. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Ptaeroxylon obliquum:

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Flora of Botswana: Ptaeroxylon obliquum
Flora of Caprivi: Ptaeroxylon obliquum
Flora of Mozambique: Ptaeroxylon obliquum
Flora of Zambia: Ptaeroxylon obliquum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Ptaeroxylon obliquum

External websites:

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