Compilation
Combretum porphyrolepis

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Name

Identification
Combretum porphyrolepis Engl. & Diels [family COMBRETACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet, Combretum hereroense Schinz [family COMBRETACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet,
Related name
  • Combretum transvaalense
  • Combretum rautanenii
  • Combretum porphyrolepis
  • Combretum hereroense
  • Combretum galpinii
  • Combretum unrecorded

Flora

Entry for Combretum hereroense Schinz [family COMBRETACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Zambesiaca
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
FZ, Vol 4, Part 0, page 100, (1978) Author: A. W. Exell
Names
Combretum transvaalense var. bolusii Dummer [family COMBRETACEAE], in Gard. Chron., Ser. 3, 51: 201 (1913). Type from S. Africa.
Combretum transvaalense var. ochrolepidotum Dummer [family COMBRETACEAE], loc. cit. Type from S. Africa.
Combretum transvaalense var. villosissimum Engl. & Diels Burtt Davy [family COMBRETACEAE], F.P.F.T. 1: 246 (1926). Type as for C. hereroense var. villosissimum.
Combretum sp. [family COMBRETACEAE], (Curson 114).—O. B. Mill., B.C.L.: 44 (1948).
Combretum hereroense Schinz [family COMBRETACEAE], in Verh. Bot. Verein. Brand. 30: 245 (1888).— Engi & Diels in Engl., Mon. Afr. Pflanz. 3: 63 (1899).—Monro in Proc. & Trans. Rhod. Sci. Ass. 8, 2: 80 (1908).—Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. 5, 4: 429 (1916).—O. B. Mill. in Journ. S. Afr. Bot. 18: 61 (1952).—Exell & Garcia in Contr. Conhec. Fl. Moçamb. 2: 122 (1954); C.F.A. 4: 56 (1970).—Rattray in Kirkia, 4: 84 (1961).—Stace in Mitt. Bot. Staatssamml. München 4: 12 (1961).—F. White, F.FN.R.: 285, fig. SOB (1962).—Breitenb., Indig. Trees Southern Afr. 4: 825 (1965).—Exell, Prodr. Fl. SW. Afr. 99: 8 (1966): in Bol. Soc. Brot., Sér. 2, 42: 8 (1968); in Kirkia, 7, 2: 199, t. 2 fig. 20 (1970).—Wickens in Kew Bull. 25, 3: 413 (1971); F.T.E.A. Combret.: 40, fig. 2(20), 3(20), 5(20) (1973).—Jacobsen in Kirkia, 9, 1: 168 (1973).—Faria in Mem. Inst. Invest. Agron. Moçamb. 4: 73 (1973). TAB. 34 fig. B; TAB. 35 fig. 19. Type from SW. Africa.
Combretum eilkeranum Schinz [family COMBRETACEAE], tom. cit.: 246 (1888).—O. B. Mill., B.C.L.: 42 (1948).—Engl. & Diels in Engl., Mon. Afr. Pflanz. 3: 61, t. 19 fig. A, a-c (1899) (“eilkeri ”). Type from SW. Africa.
Combretum transvaalense Schinz [family COMBRETACEAE], in Bull. Herb. Boiss. 2: 202 (1894).—Burtt Davy, F.P.F.T. 1: 246 (1926).—Steedman, Some Trees, etc. S. Rhod.: 55 (1933).— O. B. Mill., B.C.L.: 43 (1948).—Brenan, T.T.C.L.: 139 (1949); in Mem. N.Y. Bot. Gard. 8, 5: 438 (1954).—Codd, Trees and Shrubs Kruger Nat. Park: 133, t. 4b, fig. 23c-d (1951).—Palmer & Pitman, Trees S. Afr.: 249 cum fig. et phot. (1961). Type from the Transvaal.
Combretum usaramense Engl. [family COMBRETACEAE], Pflanzenw. Ost-Afr. C: 290 (1895).—Engl. & Diels in Engl., tom. cit.: 62, t. 19 fig. C (1899).—Brenan, T.T.C.L.: 139 (1949). Type from Tanzania.
Combretum prunifolium Engl. & Diels [family COMBRETACEAE], in Engl., tom. cit.: 29 (1899) pro parte. Type: Mozambique, Boroma, Menyharth 893 (Z).
Combretum sambesiacum Engl. & Diels [family COMBRETACEAE], in Engl., tom. cit.: 63, t. 19 fig. E (1899).— Schinz, Pl. Menyharth.: 432 (1906).—Gomes e Sousa, Pl. Menyharth: 319 (1936) (“zambesiacum”). Type: Mozambique, Boroma, Menyharth 892b pro parte (Z).
Combretum porphyrolepis Engl. & Diels [family COMBRETACEAE], in Engl., tom. cit.: 63 (1899) nom. illegit.— Bak. f. in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot. 40: 68 (1911). Syntypes from the Transvaal (including the type of C. transvaalense).
Combretum hereroense var. villosissimum Engl. & Diels [family COMBRETACEAE], in Engl., tom. cit.: 63, t. 19 fig. G (1899).—Wild, Guide Fl. Vict. Falls: 146 (1953).—Boughey in Journ. S. Afr. Bot. 30, 4: 167 (1964).—Wickens in Kew Bull. 25, 3: 414 (1971); F.T.E.A. Combret.: 41, fig. 2(20c) (1973). Type from the Transvaal.
Combretum rautanenii Engl. & Diels [family COMBRETACEAE], in Engl., tom. cit.: 64, t. 19 fig. D (1899).— O. B. Mill., B.C.L.: 43 (1948). Type from SW. Africa.
Combretum borumense Engl. & Diels [family COMBRETACEAE], in Engl., tom. cit.: 64, t. 19 fig. F (1899).— Schinz, Pl. Menyharth.: 431 (1906).—Bak. f., loc. cit. Type: Mozambique, Boroma, Menyharth 890 (Z, holotype).
Combretum rhodesicum Bak. f. [family COMBRETACEAE], in Journ. of Bot. 37: 435 (1899); in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot. 40: 67 (1911).—Gibbs in Journ. Linn. Soc., Bot. 37: 443 (1906).—Monro in Proc. & Trans. Rhod. Sci. Ass. 8, 2: 80 (1908).—Eyles in Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Afr. 5, 4: 428 (1916).—Henkel in Proc. & Trans. Rhod. Sci. Ass. 30: 16 (1931).— Steedman, loc. cit.—Burtt Davy & Hoyle, N.C.L.: 39 (1936). Syntypes: Rhodesia, Bulawayo, Rand 582 (BM), 583 (BM).
Information
Small tree up to 9(12) m. high or more rarely a shrub, often with arching stems, frequently flowering before the leaves; crown dense, irregular; bark creamy-grey to grey-black, fissured; branchlets usually tomentose to densely pubescent when young but often quickly glabrescent. Leaves opposite or subopposite, often borne on short shoots; lamina usually c. 2–7 x 1–4·5 cm., from very narrowly elliptic to very broadly obovate or subcircular (especially on sucker shoots when they may be as much as 5·5 cm. broad and broader than long), from densely tomentose to nearly glabrous (except for scales), densely golden-(rarely silvery-)lepidote beneath, scales usually contiguous but sometimes hidden by the indumentum, apex sometimes acute but often rounded or even retuse, base cuneate to rounded; lateral nerves usually only 3–4(5) pairs, prominent beneath; petiole up to 5 mm. long. Inflorescences of short rather congested spikes up to c. 3 cm. long, occasionally branched, axillary, often appearing on leafless branchlets in the axils of the scars of the fallen leaves; rhachis tomentose to glabrous (except for scales); bracts 3 mm. long, filiform, often somewhat persistent. Flowers sessile, yellow. Lower receptacle 2·3–3 mm. long; upper receptacle 2·5–3 x 2–3 mm., campanulate or shortly infundibuliform, lepidote and otherwise pubescent to nearly glabrous. Sepals 1–1·5 x l–1·5 mm., deltate. Petals 1·5–2·5 x 1–2·5 mm., broadly to very broadly obovate or subcircular or very broadly transversely elliptic, emarginate, shortly unguiculate, glabrous. Stamen-filaments 3–1·5 mm. long; anthers 0·4–0·6 mm. long. Disk c. 2 mm. in diam. with pilose margin free for 0·7–0·8 mm. Style 3·5–4·5 mm. long, not expanded at the apex. Fruit usually c. 2 x 2 cm. but sometimes smaller and occasionally up to 3·5 x 3·5 cm., subcircular in outline, densely reddish- or golden-lepidote, apical peg absent or very short, wings c. 5(10) mm. wide, subcoriaceous, stipe up to 11 mm. long. Cotyledons 2 1·5 x 2·5 cm., transversely elliptic, arising above soil level; petioles 10–11 mm. long. Scales irregularly undulate in outline, marginal cells 8–12 mostly retusely scalloped, delimited by usually 8 radial walls, 8 tangential walls and sometimes a few extra radial walls.
Habitat
Mixed Acacia savanna; Acacia-Combretum-Terminalia tree savanna; Brachystegia woodland or savanna woodland; tree or shrub savanna with Adansonia-Sterculia-Acacia nigrescens; mopane woodland; thickets on termite mounds; dry deciduous shrub savanna with Diplorhynchus and Pterocarpus brenanii; edges of dambos; secondary Baikiaea forest
Altitude range
widespread and common from low to medium altitudes.
1500
0
inferred from medium and low
Distribution
Mozambique M Ressano Garcia, fr. 18.ii.1955, E.M & W 472 (BM; LISC; SRGH).Mozambique GI Massinga, Funhalouro, fr. 21.V.1941, Torre 2708 (BM; K; LISC).Mozambique MS Manica do Lucite fr. 19.V.1948, Barbosa 1493 (BM; LISC).Mozambique T Maravia, between Chicoa and Chioco, fl. & fr. 25.ix.1942, Mendonça 416 (BM; LISC).Mozambique Z Mocuba, fr. 27.v.1949, Andrada 1518 (COI; LISC).Zimbabwe S Lundi R., Chipinda Pools, fl. 12.ix.1961, Goodier 2 (BM; FHO; SRGH).Zimbabwe E Melsetter Distr., Junction Tea Rooms, fr. 2.1.1949, Chase 1467 (BM; SRGH).Zimbabwe C Gwelo, fl. & fr. x.1924, and v.1925, Steedman 47 (BM; FHO; K).Zimbabwe W Bulawayo, fr. 18.ii.1912, Rogers 13085 (PRE).Zambia S near Victoria Falls, fl. & fr. 13.ix.1957, Angus (FHO; K).Zambia C Lusaka Distr near Shimbala Siding, fr. 27.xii.1959, White 6037 (FHO).Botswana SE 6·4 km N. of Mahalapye, fr. 14.i.1960, Leach & Noel 60 (K; SRGH).Botswana SW 24 km. W. of Ghanzi, fr. 24.iv.1963, Ballance 634 (FHO; SRGH).Mozambique N Lago, Macaloge, fr. 3.ix.1934, Torre 539 (BM; COI; LISC).Malawi S Zomba, Baloke Station, fr. 17.ii.1955, Jackson 1474 (BM; COI; FHO; K; LISC).Zimbabwe N Darwin Distr., 3·2 km. from Mkumbura R., 520 m., fr. 23.i.1960, Phipps 2416 (K; SRGH).Zambia B Sesheke Distr., Masese, fr. 25.i.1952, White 1960 (BM; FHO; K).Botswana N Ngamiland, c. 1220 m., plains near Tsodilo Hills, fr. 15.vii.1963, Banks 56 (PRE)Caprivi Strip E. of Cuanda R., 945 m., fl. 10.1945, Curson 1191 (PRE).
Distribution (external)
Angola
SW. Africa
Uganda
Kenya
Tanzania
S. Africa
Notes
Extremely variable in leaf-shape and indumentum and sometimes in size of fruit. Wickens (in Kew Bull. 25, 3; 413–416 (1971)) has recently divided this species into three subspecies of which only the type subspecies occurs in our area; so that if the proposed classification is accepted our material can all be called C. hereroense Schinz subsp. hereroense. In the same work Wickens further divides subsp. hereroense into var. hereroense and var. villosissimum Engl. & Diels. He separates these two varieties as follows: I have not found this division into varieties quite satisfactory but it should be checked by local workers throughout our area. In this aggregate species, as in many other savanna species where there is reticulate variation without much correlation of the characters, I feel that any infra-specific classification is a matter of approach. If one concentrates on the indumentum, as Wickens has largely done here, one arrives at taxa in which, for example, the leaf-shape is variable and vice versa.

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