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Englerophytum natalense

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Species of tree

Silver-leaf milkplum
In KwaZulu-Natal
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Sapotaceae
Genus: Englerophytum
Species: E. natalense
Binomial name
Englerophytum natalense
(Sond.) T.D.Penn.
Synonyms
  • Bequaertiodendron natalense (Sond.) Heine & J.H. Hemsl.
  • Chrysophyllum natalense Sond.

Englerophytum natalense, the silver-leaf milkplum, is a medium-sized, evergreen tree that occurs along forested escarpments from East Africa to South Africa. The leaves are alternately arranged or spiralled, and to some extent crowded near the ends of branches. They are glossy green to greyish green above and covered in silvery hairs below. The stem is straight and the bark smooth. Young branches are covered with dense brownish hairs. The plant contains a milky latex.

It is a larval food plant of the butterflies Euptera pluto kinugnana, Pseudacraea boisduvalii trimeni, P. eurytus imitator and P. lucretia.

Similar species

Manilkara discolor has rough bark, attains a larger size, and is native to drier regions.

Gallery

  • Foliage Foliage
  • Ripe fruit Ripe fruit

References

  1. ^ Hyde, Mark; et al. "Englerophytum natalense (Sond.) T.D. Penn". Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  2. ^ Nonyane, Frank (2013). "Englerophytum natalense (Sond.) T.D.Penn". PlantZAfrica.com. SANBI. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
Taxon identifiers
Englerophytum natalense
Chrysophyllum natalense
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