Mundulea sericea

Mundulea sericea, the cork bush, is an attractive shrub or small tree which is found in relatively open woodlands of Africa and South Asia. It is the only member of the genus with a range extending beyond Madagascar,[2] and it resembles some African shrubs in the related genus Tephrosia.

Mundulea sericea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Mundulea
Species:
M. sericea
Binomial name
Mundulea sericea
(Willd.) A.Chev. (1925)
Synonyms[1]
  • Cytisus sericeus Willd. (1802)
  • Dalbergia sericea (Willd.) Bojer (1837), nom. illeg.
  • Tephrosia sericea (Willd.) DC. (1825), nom. illeg.

Range

The species occurs commonly in Madagascar, southern to central Africa, India and Sri Lanka.[3] At its southern limit it is found in northern KwaZulu-Natal and northwards of the Vaal River, South Africa.[4] It has a preference for rocky slopes but is also found in savanna.

Two subspecies are recognized.[1]

  • Mundulea sericea subsp. madagascariensis Du Puy & Labat (syn. Mundulea striata) – endemic to Madagascar
  • Mundulea sericea subsp. sericea – mainland tropical Africa, India, and Sri Lanka

Description

The compound, alternate leaves are covered in silky hairs. The papilionaceous flowers are mauve to purple in colour.[3] The seed pods are up to 8 cm long, and are covered in golden brown, velvety hairs. These hairs turn grey with time, and the pods may remain on the tree up to the next flowering season, or longer. The bark of the stem and main branches is deeply grooved and corky, and contains the poison rotenone. The leaves are however browsed by animals.[4]

  • habit
    habit
  • bark
    bark
  • seed pods
    seed pods

References
  1. Mundulea sericea (Willd.) A.Chev. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  2. Hyde, M.A.; Wursten, B.T.; Ballings, P.; Coates Palgrave, M. "3719.000 Mundulea (DC.) Benth., Description of the genus". Flora of Zimbabwe. zimbabweflora.co.zw. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  3. Hyde, M.A.; Wursten, B.T.; Ballings, P.; Coates Palgrave, M. "Mundulea sericea (Willd.) A. Chev". Flora of Zimbabwe. zimbabweflora.co.zw. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  4. Algemene gids tot BOME. Keith, Paul & Meg Coates Palgrave. 2000. ISBN 1-86872-527-8
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