Virgilia divaricata Adamson

Blossom tree (en)

Species

Angiosperms > Fabales > Fabaceae > Virgilia

Characteristics

Small tree, 4-8(-16) m tall, basal diameter of trunk up to 0.6 m. Bark smooth. Young parts glabrescent. Pinnae in (2-)7-9(-16) pairs, linear to narrowly ovate; glabrescent at maturity or pubescent along the abaxial midrib only; apex rounded, truncate or emarginate; mucro very small, up to 1 mm long. Stipules (2-)4-6(-10) mm long, (0.5-)1(-2) mm wide. Inflorescence a raceme, often congested and umbel-like, all flowers opening ± simultaneously. Bracts small, acicular, linear or lanceolate, 2-5 x 0.5-3 mm, falling before buds are 5 mm long. Flowers rose-violet or violet-purple (rarely pale pink but then the beak dark purple); pedicels (4-)8-12(-21) mm long, velvety, bracteoles inconspicuous or absent. Nectar guide at base of vexillum prominent. Pollen guide on beak dark purple. Pods up to 12 mm wide. Seeds small, (30-)35-45(-55) mg each. Flowering period-August to January, with a peak in October.
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Small tree, 4-8(-16) m high, with crown narrow or spreading. Bark smooth. Leaves very variable, imparipinnate. Leaflets in (2-)7-9(-16) pairs, subsessile, linear to narrowly ovate, with a short, apical mucro, glabrescent at maturity or pubescent along midrib abaxially. Stipules linear, acuminate. Inflorescence an often congested and umbel-like raceme with flowers opening ± simultaneously. Flowers rose-violet or violet-purple, rarely pale pink, but then with beak dark purple; bracts small, caducous. Flowering time Aug.-Jan., with peak in Oct. Pod dehiscent, sometimes only along upper suture, coriaceous or sometimes woody, linear to linear-oblong, 2-valved.
A small tree. It grows 8-16 m tall. The trunk can be 60 cm across. The leaves have leaflets along the stalk. There are 7-9 pairs. They are narrowly oval. The flowers are in a compact group that open at the same time. The pods are 12 mm wide. The seeds are small.
Small tree to 16 m. Leaves pinnate, leaflets glabrescent, oblong, obtuse to emarginate. Flowers in axillary racemes, violet with dark purple keel tip, bracts small, caducous before buds 5 mm long.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 5.5 - 8.0
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Nitrogen fixer rhizobia
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Moist sites near the coast. Forest margins, most often beside streams or on river banks but also on hillsides and thickets; at elevations up to 1,200 metres.
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It is a subtropical plant. In South Africa it grows on the edges of forests up to 1,200 m above sea level.
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Usage

Uses gum wood
Edible -
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
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Germination treatment soaking
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Images

Virgilia divaricata unspecified picture

Distribution

Virgilia divaricata world distribution map, present in South Africa

Conservation status

Virgilia divaricata threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:525581-1
WFO ID wfo-0000198396
COL ID 5BJSM
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Virgilia divaricata