Dovyalis caffra (Hook. f. & Harv.) Hook. f.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Tiger Kloof, Mutare

Photo: Rob Burrett
Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

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Synonyms:	Aberia caffra Hook. f.
Common names:	Kei-apple (English) Munhungura (Shona) Musvisvirondo (Shona) Mutsvoritoto (Shona) Mutsvoritsvoto (Shona) Putukila (Hlengwe) Umqokolo (Ndebele)
Description:	Shrub or small tree. Bark grey, smooth, flaking in square patches on older stems; branches armed with hard straight spines up to 6 cm long. Leaves in tight clusters on dwarf lateral spurs along the branches, narrowly obovate to broadly obovate-elliptic, up to 5 cm long, leathery, dark glossy green above, paler below; margins entire. Flowers in dense clusters on the spur branchlets, small and inconspicuous, creamy-green, stamens numerous. Fruit almost round, fleshy, 3-6 cm in diameter, minutely velvety, apricot coloured when ripe, edible and sought after.
Notes:	This species occurs naturally in the low-altitude areas in the South and South-east of the country. Trees are often planted as hedge plants and for the edible fruits and have become naturalised in many areas outside their natural habitats, usually close to habitation.
Derivation of specific name:	caffra: from Kaffraria, a historic name for South Africa
Flowering time:	Nov - Jan
Worldwide distribution:	Zimbabwe, Eswatini and South Africa as far as the Eastern Cape.
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Insects associated with this species:	Odontosida magnifica (Food plant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated:	Wednesday 12 November 2008
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 638. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo 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 762 - 763. (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 261. 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 53. Under Flacourtiaceae Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 430 - 431. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 75. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 126 - 127. (Includes a picture). Wild, H. (1960). Flacourtiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Page 285.

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Flora of Botswana: Dovyalis caffra
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Flora of Mozambique: Dovyalis caffra
Flora of Zimbabwe: Dovyalis caffra

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Wikipedia: Dovyalis caffra