Landolphia kirkii

Landolphia kirkii (known as sand apricot-vine, rubber vine[1] or Kirk's landolphia[2]) is a species of liana from the family Apocynaceae that can be found in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

Landolphia kirkii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Landolphia
Species:
L. kirkii
Binomial name
Landolphia kirkii
Dyer

Description

The leaves of Landolphia kirkii are oblong and sometimes ovate and can reach up to 9 centimetres (3.5 in) in length. They are glossy green coloured from above, and have a channeled midrib. They have 10-12 pairs of lateral veins, with a net-veining that is slightly raised just above the midrib, that is pubescent underneath. The inflorescence has many flowers, which are white or creamy-yellow coloured and have a diameter of 1 centimetre (0.39 in). The flowers also have a tube that is 3.5–4 millimetres (0.14–0.16 in) long. The green fruits are spherical with a diameter of 15 centimetres (5.9 in), and are edible.[1]

Systematics

The specific epithet kirkii commemorates John Kirk, a companion of David Livingstone, who traveled to Zambezia for an expedition in 1858.[1]

The Bungo fruit widely growing on Pemba and Zanzibar islands in the Indian Ocean highly likely belongs to this species.

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References
  1. "Landolphia kirkii Dyer ex Hook. f." Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  2. "Landolphia kirkii". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
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