Salacia madagascariensis Dc.

Species

Angiosperms > Celastrales > Celastraceae > Salacia

Characteristics

Glabrous shrub or liane to at least 6 m. in height.. Latex threads present.. Stems quadrangular, smooth and green at first, soon becoming subterete, purplish brown or greyish, densely covered with raised lenticels.. Leaves opposite, subopposite or alternate (especially on climbing shoots), petiolate; petiole 5–8 mm. long; blade papery to somewhat coriaceous, glossy dark green above, dull and paler beneath, oblong to elliptic, acuminate, (3.5–)4–9.5(–16.3) cm. long, (2.1–)2.5–5(–6.7) cm. wide, cuneate at the base or sometimes abruptly narrowed to a ± winged petiole; veins prominently reticulate beneath; margin subentire to shallowly serrate or crenate, rarely more strongly serrate.. Inflorescence glabrous, consisting of axillary or shortly pedunculate fascicles of up to 25 flowers; bracts ovate-triangular, 0.5–1 mm. long, persistent, irregularly dentate-fimbriate; pedicels 5–12 mm. long at anthesis, articulated at the base.. Buds usually conical, 2–3 mm. long.. Flowers yellow or greenish yellow (? sometimes white), ± 6–8 mm. in diameter.. Sepals subequal, ovate, 0.5–1 mm. long, acute, obtuse or rounded, dentate or erose, joined at the base.. Petals ovate or oblong, sometimes shortly clawed, 3–4 mm. long, rounded, entire, tuberculate on the exterior.. Disc subcylindrical to conical, sometimes vertically fluted, ± 2–2.5 mm. in diameter and 1–1.5 mm. thick, 5-lobed at the base.. Stamens with flattened filaments ± 2 mm. long, becoming coiled after anthesis.. Ovary ovoid, sometimes trigonous; style slender, stigma entire; ovules 2–4 per locule.. Fruit yellowish orange to pink or red, globose, 1.8–3.2 cm. in diameter, finely rugose, borne on a much thickened peduncle.. Figs. 8/3, p. 35; 9/1–8.
More
Leaves opposite or subopposite (alternate on climbing shoots), petiolate; lamina glossy on both sides, paler below, 4–10·5 × 2·1–4·7(5·8) cm., oblong to elliptic, acuminate at the apex, with margin densely serrulate to subentire, cuneate to decurrent at the base, chartaceous to subcoriaceous, with 7–10 lateral nerves and densely reticulate venation more prominent below than above; petiole 5–9 mm. long, with margins straight; stipules small, acicular-triangular, deciduous.
Flowers 2–12 (rarely solitary), bisexual, in axillary sessile or shortly pedunculate fascicles; buds 2–3 mm. long, cylindric to elongate-conic; peduncles absent or up to 1 mm. long; pedicels 5–10 mm. long, smooth, articulated at the base.
An evergreen shrub or climber. The leaves are narrowly oval and shiny. There are teeth around the edge. The flowers are in clusters and are greenish-yellow. The fruit are round and 3 cm across. They are orange to red when ripe.
Shrub or liane, up to at least 6 m. high, with latex, glabrous; stems ± quadrangular, green and smooth at first, becoming terete, purplish and eventually grey, verruculose with numerous prominent lenticels.
Sepals c. 0·5–0·-8 mm. long, subequal, united at the base, broadly ovate to triangular-ovate, acute to obtuse or rounded, with margin eroded-denticulate to subentire.
Petals greenish-yellow to deep yellow, (2·5)3–4 mm. long, oblong to ovate, sessile or very shortly unguiculate, rounded, entire, reflexed at anthesis.
Stamens 3, with filaments scarcely broadened at the base; anthers dehiscing by 2 vertical or oblique clefts not confluent at the apex.
Ovary ovoid-3-gonous, with style 1–2 mm. long, slender; stigma entire, punctiform; ovules 2(3–4) per loculus.
Disk cylindric or deeply conic, sometimes fluted, with 5-lobed lower margin, surrounding the ovary.
Fruit orange to pinkish, 1·8–3 cm. in diam., globose, finely rugulose, c. 6-seeded.
Life form -
Growth form shrub
Growth support climber
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 6.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months -
Fruit color
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

It is a tropical plant. In Kenya it grows in coastal areas. It grows in sand and rocky areas from sea level to 500 m altitude.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) -

Usage

The fruit coat is removed and the seed is discarded and the small amount of flesh is eaten.
Uses -
Edible fruits
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

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

Distribution

Salacia madagascariensis world distribution map, present in Madagascar

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:162635-1
WFO ID wfo-0001065374
COL ID 6WZFS
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Calypso madagascariensis Calypso salacioides Tontelea madagascariensis Tontelea calypso Tonsella calypso Salacia obovata Salacia madagascariensis Salacia calypso Salacia trigonocarpa Hippocratea madagascariensis Tonsella madagascariensis Salacia simtata Hippocratea verticillata var. madagascariensis Hippocratea senegalensis var. madagascariensis