Myrsine africana L.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Protein Content

10.30% Entire seed/nut. Moisture content not stated (Barclay & Earle, 1974)

Myrsinaceae, F. K. Kupicha. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

sex Female

Female flower: anthers as in male but shorter than and concealed by corolla (flower c. 2 mm. long), functionless; ovary c. 1–2 mm. long, clavate, with prominent much–lobed capitate stigma.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit a globose 1–seeded drupe, at first dry, greenish and c. 2–3 mm. in diameter, later developing a purplish fleshy pericarp and swelling to 8 mm. in diameter.

Morphology General Habit

Much branched, functionally dioecious perennial varying from a suffrutex 30 cm. high to a large shrub up to 3·5 m. tall.

Morphology General Bark

Bark smooth to finely rugose, brownish–grey.

Morphology Branches

Branches ascending, rusty– or brownish–tomentose especially at apices.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves very numerous, crowded, 6–12 mm. long, varying from ± orbicular to elliptic or obovate, acute or obtuse and apiculate at apex, subsessile or tapering at base to a petiole c. 1 mm. long, the proximal part of the midrib on adaxial side tomentose, otherwise lamina glabrous, coriaceous, inconspicuously nerved apart from the prominent abaxial midrib, the margin slightly revolute and sparsely serrulate (teeth usually inconspicuous due to the curved margin).

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers tetramerous, small, borne in several–flowered axillary fascicles, shortly pedicellate. Female flower: anthers as in male but shorter than and concealed by corolla (flower c. 2 mm. long), functionless; ovary c. 1–2 mm. long, clavate, with prominent much–lobed capitate stigma. Male flower: anthers 1·3–2 mm. long, long–exserted from corolla (flower c. 2–2·5 mm. long), oblong–triangular, apiculate, red; ovary vestigial, clavate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx c. 1/2 as long as corolla, divided almost to the base, the lobes ovate, ciliate, conspicuously glandular–punctate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla gamopetalous, with rounded–triangular ciliate lobes ± as long as the tube, greenish, cream–coloured or pink, conspicuously punctate.

sex Male

Male flower: anthers 1·3–2 mm. long, long–exserted from corolla (flower c. 2–2·5 mm. long), oblong–triangular, apiculate, red; ovary vestigial, clavate.

Myrsinaceae, P. Halliday. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1984

Morphology General Habit

Evergreen undershrub, shrub or tree from less than 1 m. to 6 m. tall, often or perhaps always subdioecious, the male plants producing no ovaries or fruit, the flowers on female plants containing stamens which may or may not be functional; bark grey or white with lighter streaks, shredding; branches brown or purplish, densely minutely crisped hairy especially on the younger wood, older wood with longitudinal ribs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, crowded; blades ovate to lanceolate, rhomboid, obovate or orbicular, 4.5-20 mm. long, 3-11.5 mm. wide, acute to acuminate, cuneate, usually serrate in upper half, occasionally entire, coriaceous, glossy and rugulose above, smooth, punctate beneath, glabrous except occasionally a few hairs at base of midrib on upper surface, glands faintly pellucid, orange; nerves (2-)3-5(-7) on either side of midrib; petiole 1-3 mm. long, glabrous to densely glandular-hairy.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescence consisting of 1-5-flowered axillary clusters on young wood.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers male or female, small, 4-merous, pendent, glabrous, gland-dotted; pedicels up to 1.5 mm. long, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals united at base or rarely free, ±1 mm. long, margins finely erose in male flowers, entire in female flowers.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Corolla greenish white or pink, campanulate with entire lobes to funnel-shaped with ciliate lobes,±2 mm. long; lobes as long as tube in male flowers, and half as long in length in female flowers, 2 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens exserted, subsessile or with filaments up to 1.5 mm. long, united into a collar which is adnate to the corolla-tube; anthers crimson to blue-violet, ovate, apiculate, 1-2.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary ovoid; placenta stalked, ovoid, apiculate; ovules few, uniseriate; style exserted to half its length, slender, 1-3 mm. long; stigma cream, discoid, fimbriate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit an edible berry, pale green, red, purple, finally black, globose with persistent style and calyx, up to 5 mm. in diameter, smooth except for raised gland-dots, glabrous, 1-seeded.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds globose.

Figures

Fig. 2.

Habitat

Upland forest edges, open wooded grassland, stony hillsides in grassland and pasture, sometimes riverine, on sandy soil over basement complex or on volcanic soil or lava; 1200-3600 m.

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 T2 T3 T4 T5 T7 U1 in mountains of eastern Africa from Ethiopia and Socotra to Zambia, Angola and South Africa, also in Azores, Arabia, Afghanistan, Baluchistan, India and Chinacultivated in Europe.