Alchornea laxiflora (Benth.) Pax & K. Hoffm.

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Photo: Meg Coates Palgrave
Catapu, Sofala, Mozambique.

Photo: Colin Wenham
Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve

Photo: Stefaan Dondeyne
Moribane Forest

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ridge North of Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest

Photo: UJ Staff
TCT-Catapú

Photo: Bart Wursten
Along path in "sacred forest", Mahenye.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Lower slopes Mt Bunga, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Inhamitanga Forest, Cheringoma

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Synonyms:	Alchornea schlechteri Pax Lepidoturus laxiflorus Benth.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Deciduous shrub or small tree. Bark smooth, pale grey, flaking. Leaves alternate, elliptic-lanceolate to oblong-oblanceolate, up to 17 × 8 cm, acuminate, 3-veined from the base, thinly textured, light green, turning an attractive yellow or red in autumn; margin shallowly crenate-serrate. Flowers in axillary spikes, unisexual on the same plant. The reddish bracts more conspicuous than the small flowers. Fruit a 2-4-lobed capsule, 5-7 mm in diameter, thinly woody, blackish-brown.
Type location:	Sudan
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	laxiflora: with lax or open inflorescences
Habitat:	In riverine vegetation and mixed deciduous woodland, often on rocky outcrops.
Altitude range: (metres)	Up to 1500 m
Flowering time:	Sep - Dec
Worldwide distribution:	From Nigeria to Ethiopia and down to Mpumalanga, South Africa.
FZ divisions:	N,C,E
Zambian distribution (Provinces):	Mc,Lk
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
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 432. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 4. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 21. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 252. 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 40. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 108. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 153 - 154. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 85. Troupin, G. (1983). Euphorbiaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 202.

Other sources of information about Alchornea laxiflora:

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Flora of Burundi: Alchornea laxiflora
Flora of Malawi: Alchornea laxiflora
Flora of Mozambique: Alchornea laxiflora
Flora of Rwanda: Alchornea laxiflora
Flora of Zimbabwe: Alchornea laxiflora

External websites:

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