Brachystegia spiciformis Benth.

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Brachystegia spiciformis

Drawing: Patricia Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Drawing: Suzanne Carter

Brachystegia spiciformis

Drawing: Suzanne Carter

Brachystegia spiciformis

Drawing: Patricia Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Drawing: Patricia Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Mkushi, Nkumbi Internat. College; Apr 2010.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

1970.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Buds; 1970;
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Kabompo Gorge, Kanyikezhi; Dec 2009.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Flowers; Lusaka; Sep 1976.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Sep 1970.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Pairs overlapping;
Kabompo Gorge exit; Dec 2009.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Sapling;
Kabompo Gorge; 1970.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Tree in riverine forest;
Zambezi Rapids; Nov 2006.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Small tree at foot of steep hill. Wavy leaflet margins distinguished this from B.floribunda, Sterile;
40 km north of Mporokoso; Dec 2002.
Photo: Mike Bingham

Brachystegia spiciformis

Tree in woodland and riverine fringe. ‘Muzombo’ (Lungu);
Mwami River, Matelo Village; Dec 2006.
Photo: Mike Bingham

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

Synonyms: Brachystegia bragaei Harms
Brachystegia randii Baker f.
Common names: Mupuci (Lunda) Mupuci (Luvale) Muputi (Bemba) Muputi (Lamba) Muputi (Lunda) Muputi (Nkoya) Muputu (Bemba) Muputu (Lamba) Muputu (Lunda) Muputu (Nkoya) Musewe (Lozi) Musewe (Tonga: Zambia) Mutuya (Lunda) Mutuya (Lozi) Mutuyu (Lunda) Mutuyu (Lozi)
Frequency: Widespread
Status: Native
Description:
Tree to 30 m tall, with dwarf forms at high altitudes (Nyika Plateau) or over gravel. Forms with glabrous branchlets occur throughout Zambia, mixed with forms with puberulous branchlets in northwestern, western and northeastern parts of the country. Leaves 5−20 cm long, mostly with 3−4 leaflet pairs, up to 5 in the extreme northwest; leaflets increasing in size distally. Saplings have mostly 2 pairs. Leaf surface shiny. Flowers in terminal and axillary spikes, appearing in September. Numerous different forms can be recognized. The species frequently occurs in evergreen and gallery forest, those in the latter may have distinctive leaf forms (Ikelenge and Mpulungu).
Type location:
Angola, Huila.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: spiciformis: resembling a spike, presumably referring to the inflorescence
Habitat: Miombo woodland, Gallery forest.
Altitude range: 50 - 2000 m
Flowering time:Aug - Oct
Worldwide distribution: Angola, Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): B,N,W,C,E,S
Zambian distribution (Provinces): Nw,Cb,Lp,N,Mc,E,C,Lk,S,W
Growth form(s): Tree.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species: Acada biseriatus (Food plant)
Gonometa robusta (Food plant)
Charaxes protoclea azota (Food plant)
Micraphe lateritia (Larval foodplant)
Grammodora nigrolineata (Larval foodplant)
Cinabra hyperbius (Larval foodplant)
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Wednesday 26 June 2013
Literature:

Bingham, M.G. (2010). Notes on Zambian trees: Brachystegia spiciformis - Muputu Black Lechwe 17(1) Pages 16 - 18. (Includes a picture).

Brummitt, R.K., Chikuni, A.C., Lock, J.M. & Polhill, R.M. (2007). Leguminosae Subfamily Caesalpinioideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(2) Pages 101 - 104. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 119. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 244. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 10. As Brachystegia spiciformis kwangensis

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 7. As Brachystegia spiciformis kwangensis

Coates Palgrave, K. et al. (1956). Trees of Central Africa National Publications Trust, Salisbury. Pages 81 - 84. (Includes a picture).

Coates Palgrave, M. (1989). Guide to the trees and shrubs of the Mukuvisi Woodlands ?publisher. Page 42.

Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 212.

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 243.

Drummond, R.B. (1981). Common Trees of the Central Watershed Woodlands of Zimbabwe. Natural Resources Board, Harare. Pages 66 - 67. (Includes a picture).

Jacobsen, W.B.G. (1967). The influence of copper content of the soil on trees and shrubs of Molly South Hill, Mangula Kirkia 6(1) Pages 63 - 84.

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 43.

Smith, P. & Allen, Q. (2004). Field Guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Miombo Woodlands Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ISBN 1 84246 073 0 Pages 106 - 107. (Includes a picture).

Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 19. as Brachystegia bragaei (Includes a picture).

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 90.

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 93.

Other sources of information about Brachystegia spiciformis:

Our websites:

Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Brachystegia spiciformis
Flora of Malawi: Brachystegia spiciformis
Flora of Mozambique: Brachystegia spiciformis
Flora of Zimbabwe: Brachystegia spiciformis
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Brachystegia spiciformis

External websites:

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


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: Brachystegia spiciformis.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=126660, retrieved 19 March 2024

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