Vangueria

Comm. ex Juss.
Source: 
SSA
Synonym(s): 
Tapiphyllum Robyns in part, as to T. parvifolium (Sond.) Robyns.
Description: 
Shrubs or small trees, with glabrous to densely velvety foliage. Leaves paired, shortly petiolate, often quite large, elliptic, oblong, or somewhat rounded; stipules broad, connate at base, apex with linear or subulate appendage, villous within. Flowers shortly petiolate; many together in axillary racemes or cymes; bracteate. Calyx glabrous, or hairy, often persistent, 5-lobed; lobes ovate, longer than tube; tube saucer-shaped. Corolla 5-lobed, yellow or greenish yellow, glabrous or hairy; lobes narrowly triangular, mostly reflexed; tube cylindric or campanulate, villous in throat, with a ring of deflexed hairs inside. Stamens 5, arising in corolla mouth; shortly exserted; filaments linear, shorter than anthers; anthers oblong or ovate, often apiculate. Ovary 5-locular, with a single pendulous ovule in each locule; style terete, sometimes swollen at base, shortly exserted; stigma thickened, cylindric, furrowed, minutely to distinctly 5-lobed at apex. Fruit large, indehiscent, +/- globose, often lobed or angular in dry state, usually 5-locular with 5 pyrenes, sometimes with persistent calyx, often edible. x = 11 (aneuploids, polyploidy).
Distribution: 
Species 27, tropical Africa and Madagascar; 5 in sthn Afr., widespread but absent from Western Cape.
Classification: 

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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith