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Cassia angolensis
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Lusaka NE 25km, Hummels Farm
Sep 1990
Photo: Mike Bingham
Lusaka NE 25km, Hummels Farm
Apr 1992
Photo: Mike Bingham
Chisamba;
Oct 2003
Photo: Mike Bingham
Lusaka, cultivated;
Sep 2015
Photo: Mike Bingham
Lusaka, cultivated;
Sep 2015
Photo: Mike Bingham
Lusaka, cultivated;
Sep 2015
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: | |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | Rare |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
A small tree, but reaching 20 m elsewhere, semi-evergreen. Bark smooth. Leaves paripinnate. Flowers in axillary and terminal racemes, appearing with the new foliage. Pods black or dark brown, up to 70 cm long, rigid, snapping into cylindrical sections when pressure is applied, falling when mature. The seeds in individual compartments, surrounded by dry pulp, rattling when the mature pod is shaken. |
| Type location: |
Angola |
| Notes: | Conservation status: A rare species though widespread, probably overlooked and mistaken for Cassia abbreviata. The well-known trees no longer exist, having made way for road widening (Pemba) or cropping (Chongwe). There are, however, a few trees in cultivation. The key in FZ distinguishes this species from C. abbreviata by “seed not enclosed by pulp.” Whatever the appropriate term for the edible stuff surrounding the seed, it is essentially similar to that of Piliostigma thonningii, the seeds of which are described as “embedded in pulp” (commonly known as 'monkey bread'). The pod of C. angolensis resembles that of P. thonningii in falling when mature, and with the seeds rattling when the pod is shaken. These are typical features of herbivore dispersal. C. abbreviata, which is adapted to bird dispersal, has sticky pulp, and the pods do not fall at maturity. |
| Derivation of specific name: | |
| Habitat: | Deciduous thicket |
| Altitude range: | 850 - 1500 m |
| Flowering time: | Aug - Sep |
| Worldwide distribution: | Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Angola, Botswana, Namibia |
| Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): | C,S |
| Zambian distribution (Provinces): | Lp,C,Lk,S |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Content last updated: | Saturday 21 September 2013 |
| Literature: |
Brummitt, R.K., Chikuni, A.C., Lock, J.M. & Polhill, R.M. (2007). Leguminosae Subfamily Caesalpinioideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(2) Pages 164 - 165. Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 250. As Cassia angolense (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 91. Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, B., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R,J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London Page 73. |
Other sources of information about Cassia angolensis:
Our websites:
Flora of Malawi: Cassia angolensisFlora of Mozambique: Cassia angolensis
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cassia angolensisAfrican Plant Database: Cassia angolensis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cassia angolensis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cassia angolensis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cassia angolensis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cassia angolensis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cassia angolensis
JSTOR Plant Science: Cassia angolensis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cassia angolensis
Plants of the World Online: Cassia angolensis
Tropicos: Cassia angolensis
Wikipedia: Cassia angolensis
| Home | > | List of families | > | Fabaceae subfamily Caesalpinioideae | > | Cassia | > | angolensis |