Zanha africana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zanha africana
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Sapindaceae
Genus: Zanha
Species:
Z. africana
Binomial name
Zanha africana
(Radlk.) Exell
Synonyms
  • Dialiopsis africana Radlk. 1907

Zanha africana, the velvet-fruited zanha, is a species of fruit plant from the family Sapindaceae which can be found in Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it is used in door frames and tool handles. It is also used for flooring and for creating toys, railway sleepers, turnery, furniture and ship designs.[1]

Description[]

The species is a 12–17 metres (39–56 ft) tall shrub which has 3 to 6, and sometimes up to 8, pairs of leaflets which are ovate, elliptical and are 8–15 centimetres (3.1–5.9 in) by 4–8 centimetres (1.6–3.1 in). The petioles are 1–3 millimetres (0.039–0.118 in) long while the pedicels are around 2.5 millimetres (0.098 in) long. It has 4 to 6 stamens which are 10 millimetres (0.39 in) long with a cup-shaped disk that is hairy with a diameter of 2 millimetres (0.079 in). The ovary is absent in the male of the species while females bear flowers which turn into 3 centimetres (1.2 in) by 2 centimetres (0.79 in) fruit that is hairy and ellipsoid. The seed is also ellipsoid, but is 1.5 centimetres (0.59 in) by 1 centimetre (0.39 in) and is normally yellow but sometimes bright orange, in colour.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Zanha Africana". Retrieved December 4, 2013.


Retrieved from ""