Olax obtusifolia De Wild.

Species

Angiosperms > Santalales > Olacaceae > Olax

Characteristics

Trees or shrubs up to 15 m. high; young branches deep green when young, rusty-brown and ± channelled when mature.. Petiole 1–3 mm. long; leaf-blade glabrous, grey-green above at maturity, ovate-lanceolate, 4–9 cm. long, 2–4 cm. wide, rounded to subacute at apex, cuneate to rounded at the base; midrib prominent beneath, ± conspicuous above; secondary veins (6–)7–10 pairs, slightly raised beneath.. Inflorescence of single or fasciculate racemes up to 3 cm. long; bracts small, oblanceolate, caducous, rarely foliaceous; pedicels 1–2.5 mm. long; buds clavate, up to 9 mm. long.. Flowers white, cream or greenish.. Calyx cupuliform, accrescent, 1.5–2 mm. in diameter.. Petals 3, spathulate, 7–11 mm. long, ± recurved at maturity.. Fertile stamens 3; filaments adnate to petals; anthers 1.5–2.5 mm. long, yellow.. Staminodes 5–6; anthers elongate, 2–3 mm. long, white, bifurcate at base.. Ovary conical; style up to 5 mm. long; stigma capitate, 3-lobed.. Fruit a globose drupe, 1–2.5 cm. in diameter, orange when ripe; accrescent calyx up to 5 mm. in diameter.. Seed woody, large, ± 1 cm. in diameter.. Fig. 3/1–4, p. 8.
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Leaves very shortly stalked; lamina 4–8 × 2–4 cm., ovate-lanceolate, blunt or subacute at the apex, rounded or obtuse at the base, dull, light green, chartaceous; midrib somewhat conspicuous above, prominent below; lateral nerves 6–10 pairs, very slightly raised on both surfaces; petiole up to 1 mm. long.
A shrub or small tree. It grows 6 tall. The young shoots are a rusty colour. The leave are 4-8 cm long by 2-4 cm wide. They are oval or sword shaped. The fruit are 2-5 cm across. They are round and fleshy. They are yellow to orange and have a large stone.
Flowers in solitary or fasciculate racemes 1–3 cm. long; bracts shorter than the 1–2 mm. long pedicels, rarely longer, sometimes foliaceous, caducous; buds broadly clavate, 6–9 mm. long.
Stamens 3; anthers 1·5–2·5 mm. long, yellow; staminodes 5–6; anther-thecae 2–3 mm. long, undulate, white.
Petals 3, 7–10 mm. long, spathulate, apiculate inside at the top, yellowish or greenish-white.
Fruit up to 2–5 cm. in diam., globose, drupaceous, yellow-orange, with a very large stone.
Ovary gradually attenuate upwards; style 2–4 mm. long, capitate.
Young shoots rust colour, rugulose; bark later exfoliating.
Shrub or small tree up to 6 m. tall.
Calyx short, cupuliform, accrescent.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support parasite
Foliage retention -
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 10.5
Root system -
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Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color
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Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

It is a tropical plant. It grows on dry woodland plateau.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

Uses food gene source
Edible fruits
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
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Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Olax obtusifolia world distribution map, present in Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, United Republic of, Zambia, and Zimbabwe

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:608128-1
WFO ID wfo-0000390190
COL ID 492LX
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Olax obtusifolia