Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (1972) Author: MARSHALL C. JOHNSTON (University of Texas Herbarium)
Names
ZIZIPHUS mucronata subsp. mucronata [family RHAMNACEAE], ; R.B. Drummond in Bol. Soc. Brot., sér. 2, 39: 57 (1965) & in F.Z. 2:422(1966)
ZIZIPHUS bubalina Schult. [family RHAMNACEAE], in Roem. & Schult., Syst. 5: 334 (1819), nom. superfl., illegit., based on Z. mucronata Willd.
ZIZIPHUS baclei DC. [family RHAMNACEAE], Prodr. 2: 20 (1825). Type: Senegal, 1820, Bacle (G-DC, holo. !)
ZIZIPHUS adelensis Del. [family RHAMNACEAE], Rochet d’Héricourt, Sec. Voy. Mer Rouge: 341 (1846). Type: Ethiopia, Shoa [Choa], Fare [Farré]-Alio Amba [Aleyon amba], 1845, Rochet d’Héricourt 20 (P, holo. !)
ZIZIPHUS mitis A. Rich. [family RHAMNACEAE], Tent. Fl. Abyss. 1: 137 (1847). Type: Ethiopia, Shoa [Choa], Quartin Dillon cfr Petit (P, holo. !, K, W, iso. !)
ZIZIPHUS mucronata Sond. var. pubescens [family RHAMNACEAE], in Fl. Cap. 1: 476 (1860). Types: South Africa, Durban [Port Natal], Gueinzius & T. Williamson (? TCD, isosyn.)
ZIZIPHUS mucronata Sond. var. glabrata [family RHAMNACEAE], in Fl. Cap. 1: 476 (1860). Types: South Africa, Transvaal, Magaliesberg, Burke & Zeyher 311 & 313 (? TCD, isosyn.)
ZIZIPHUS mucronata Kuntze forma subcordata [family RHAMNACEAE], Rev. Gen. 3 (2): 39 (1898). Type: South Africa, Cape Province, Modderrivier Station, 10 Feb. 1894, Kuntze (NY, holo. !, K, iso. !)
ZIZIPHUS mucronata Kuntze forma obliqua [family RHAMNACEAE], Rev. Gen. 3 (2): 39 (1898). Tvpe: South Africa, Natal, Durban, Berea Hills, Mar. 1894, Kuntze (NY, holo. !, K, Z, iso. !)
ZIZIPHUS mucronata Schinz var. glauca [family RHAMNACEAE], Vier. Nat. Gesellsch. Zurich 29: 195 (1903). Type: South West Africa, Keetmanshoop, Schinz 837 (Z, lecto. !, K, iso. !)
ZIZIPHUS mucronata Engl. var. inermis [family RHAMNACEAE], V.E. 3 (2): 307 (1921); T.T.C.L.: 470 (1949). Type: Tanganyika, Rungwe District, Kyimbila, Stolz 1816 (B, holo. !, B, L, Z, iso. !)
ZIZIPHUS mucronata (Sond.) Chiov. forma pubescens [family RHAMNACEAE], Fl. Somala 1: 127 (1929)
ZIZIPHUS madecassus Perr. [family RHAMNACEAE], in Not. Syst. Paris 11: 17 (1943). Type: SW. Madagascar, R. Onilahy near Maroamalona, Perrier 19235 (P, holo. !)
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier Province W. Marsabit Mt., June 1958, T. Adamson 21 !;KENYA Masai District Mosiro [Musilo], 19 Aug. 1960, Paulo 689!;KENYA Teita District Voi R., 31 Jan. 1953, Bally 8641 !TANGANYIKA Tanga District Kivindani, 3 Feb. 1966, Faulkner 3736!;TANGANYIKA Mpwapwa District Kongwa, 28 Feb. 1949, Anderson 367 !TANGANYIKA Iringa, 18 Mar. 1932, Lynes I.g. 224 !UGANDA Karamoja District Amudat, Oct. 1944, Dale 411 !;UGANDA Ankole District Ruizi R., 12 Nov. 1950, Jarrett 465 !
Notes
Subsp. rhodesica R.B. Drummond is reported from S. Tanganyika in F.Z. 2: 423 (1966), but no specimen has been seen. It differs from subsp. mucronata by the persistent coarse pale brown tomentum on the leaf-blades (denser beneath), and occurs in Zambia, Congo (Katanga), Angola, Botswana and South West Africa. Some plants of this subspecies so closely resemble Z. abyssinica as to suggest the origin through hybridization or genetic contamination of Z. mucronata subsp. mucronata by Z. abyssinica with much subsequent backcrossing to Z. mucronata subsp. mucronata. However, the persistence of the upper pubescence possibly is not explained by this suggestion. An alternative hypothesis is that subsp. rhodesica shows closer relationship to Z. abyssinica than to Z. mucronata. The persistence of upper pubescence and the small size and bluntness of the leaf-blades can then be considered a manifestation of simple neoteny, since these characters are also seen in young branches of Z. abyssinica. Any taxonomic reshuffling must await a thorough analysis in the field.
![ZIZIPHUS mucronata subsp. mucronata [family RHAMNACEAE]](/fsi/img/misc/plants/static_thumbs/flora_tropEA_icon96.jpg)