Maerua kirkii (Oliv.) F. White

All images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View selected images

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools, by main road to camp

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools, by main road to camp

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools, by main road to camp

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools, by main road to camp

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Bart Wursten
Mana Pools, by main road to camp

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Bart Wursten
Stream crossing along entrance road to Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Mark Hyde
Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge

Maerua kirkii

Picture: Mark Hyde
Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge

Specimen citations: Display citations Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Capparis kirkii Oliv.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Evergreen shrub or small tree up to c. 5 m tall. Often conspicuous during the dry season, when most other shrubs and trees are leafless and dry. Leaves simple, oblong-obovate or oblanceolate, 4-12 cm long, thickly leathery, shiny green above, dull green below, somewhat rough on both surfaces; netveining conspicuous; apex with a hair-like tip; margin entire. Flowers in dense terminal clusters; sepals green, pubescent on both sides; petals present, very small, creamy-whitish; stamens c. 60, up to 3 cm long. Fruit round, up to 1.7 cm in diameter, shiny red when ripe, usually pendulous on stalks up to 2.5 cm long.
Type location:
Syntypes from Malawi
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: kirkii: named after Dr John Kirk, who accompanied David Livingstone on his Zambezi expedition of 1858
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution: Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): N,C,S
Zambian distribution (Provinces): N,E,C,Lk,S
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
Content last updated: Saturday 13 July 2019
Literature:

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 161. (Includes a picture).

Coates Palgrave, K. (revised and updated by Meg Coates Palgrave) (2002). Trees of Southern Africa 3rd edition. Struik, South Africa Page 234.

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 238.

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 32.

Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 168 - 169. (Includes a picture).

Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 226 - 227.

Other sources of information about Maerua kirkii:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Maerua kirkii
Flora of Mozambique: Maerua kirkii
Flora of Zimbabwe: Maerua kirkii

External websites:

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


Copyright: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-24

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2024). Flora of Zambia: Species information: Maerua kirkii.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=124650, retrieved 28 March 2024

Site software last modified: 10 May 2018 10:51pm
Terms of use