Cleistanthus schlechteri (Pax) Hutch.
var. schlechteri

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Cleistanthus schlechteri var. schlechteri

Photo: Meg Coates Palgrave
Levasflor, Cheringoma, Mozambique

Photo: Bart Wursten
Base of Mt Bunga, Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:	Cleistanthus holzii Pax Cleistanthus johnsonii Hutch. Securinega schlechteri Pax
Common names:	Muti-usina-zita (Shona) Umzithi (Ndebele)
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Deciduous shrub or small to medium-sized, often multi-stemmed tree. Bark dark grey to blackish-brown, rough, often cracked into a grid-like pattern. Leaves alternate, elliptic, 3-7 cm long, dark glossy green above, paler below; minute domatia present in the axils of the prominent lateral veins; petiole bent as if entering the leaf lamina from below. Flowers unisexual on the same tree, in axillary clusters, yellow-green, sweetly scented. Fruit 3-lobed, c. 10mm in diameter, hairless, yellow-green when ripe, splitting easily. See var. pubescens for comparison.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	schlechteri: named after Friedrich Schlechter (1872-1925), German Botanist and traveller.
Habitat:	In open woodland or riverine forest.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 760 m
Flowering time:	Sep - Nov
Worldwide distribution:	Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Zimbabwe distribution:	E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated:	Wednesday 17 February 2016
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 411. (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 Page 488. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 55. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 251. 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 41. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 8 - 9. Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 268 - 269. as Cleistanthus slechteri (Includes a picture). 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 25. Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 190 - 191. as Cleistanthus schlechteri (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (2013). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (Second edition) Struik, South Africa Pages 238 - 239. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Cleistanthus schlechteri var. schlechteri:

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Flora of Malawi: Cleistanthus schlechteri var. schlechteri
Flora of Mozambique: Cleistanthus schlechteri var. schlechteri

External websites:

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