Ochna puberula is a shrub or small sized tree with bright yellow petals that are surrounded by green sepals that turn red during fruiting.[1] It belongs to the family Ochnaceae.[2]

Ochna puberula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Ochnaceae
Genus: Ochna
Species:
O. puberula
Binomial name
Ochna puberula

Description

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A shrub or small sized tree capable of reaching 6 m tall with a greyish bark that is either smooth or fissured.[3] When young, its stems have brownish lenticels on it. Leaves have stipules that are up to 8 mm long. Leaflets are obovate to oblanceolate in shape and their edges are often densely toothed, they are capable of reaching 8 cm in length and 3 cm in width, they have a rounded apex and a cuneate base.[3] Inflorescence are in axillary racemes with yellow flowers borne on shortly pubescent pedicels.[1]

Distribution

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Occurs in Eastern and Southern Africa, in south western Uganda southwards to Zimbabwe.[4] Found in open woodland and wooded grasslands and in rocky areas.

References

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  1. ^ a b Shah, Toral; Mashimba, Fandey H.; Suleiman, Haji. O.; Mbailwa, Yahya S.; Savolainen, Vincent; Larridon, Isabel; Darbyshire, Iain (2023). "A taxonomic revision of the ecologically important Ochna holstii (Ochnaceae) complex using molecular and morphological data". Plant Ecology and Evolution. 156 (2): 174–200. ISSN 2032-3913.
  2. ^ Van Wyk, Braam; Van Wyk, Piet (1997). Field guide to trees of Southern Africa. Cape Town: Struik Publishers (Pty) Ltd. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-86825-922-9.
  3. ^ a b Balkwill, K. (2020-09-01). "Ochna maguirei (Ochnaceae), a new species with corky bark from northern South Africa". South African Journal of Botany. 133: 298–306. doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2020.07.014. ISSN 0254-6299.
  4. ^ "Ochna puberula N.Robson | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2024-03-21.