Home > List of families > Loganiaceae > Strychnos > potatorum
Strychnos potatorum L.f.
Catapu, Sofala
Stream at the base of Mt Bunga, Gorongosa National Park.
Base of Mt Bunga, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.
Synonyms: Strychnos stuhlmannii Gilg
Common names: Black bitterberry (English) Grape strychnos (English)
Small to medium-sized tree with dense foliage. Leaves opposite, 3-5-veined from the base, elliptic to ovate, glossy dark green, thinly textured, hairless. Flowers in axillary clusters of several, stalked, few-flowered heads, whitish to yellowish-green. Fruit up to 20 mm in diameter, purple-black when ripe, resembling grapes.
Notes: Fruits eaten by animals but not by people.
Derivation of specific name: potatorum: resembling a potato, presumably referring to the fruit, which looks more like a grape
Habitat: In dry woodland, along dry water courses and on termite mounds.
Altitude range: Up to 1600 m
Flowering time: Oct - Nov
Worldwide distribution: Tropical Africa to northern Botswana and Limpopo, South Africa
Mozambique distribution: T,MS
Content last updated: Wednesday 13 September 2017
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 782. (Includes a picture).
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Leeuwenberg, A.J.M. (1983). Loganiaceae (inc. Buddlejaceae) Flora Zambesiaca 7(1) Pages 370 - 371.
Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 100. Under Strychnaceae
Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 542 - 545. (Includes a picture).
Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 108.
Setshogo, M.P. & Venter, F. (2003). Trees of Botswana: names and distribution SABONET Report No. 18 Southern African Botanical Diversity Network, Pretoria Page 124.
Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Pages 117 - 118.
Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 217.
Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. (1997). Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik, South Africa Pages 252 - 253. (Includes a picture).
Other sources of information about Strychnos potatorum:
Flora of Botswana: Strychnos potatorum
Flora of Caprivi: Strychnos potatorum
Flora of Malawi: Strychnos potatorum
Flora of Zambia: Strychnos potatorum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Strychnos potatorum
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Strychnos potatorum
African Plant Database: Strychnos potatorum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Strychnos potatorum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Strychnos potatorum
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Strychnos potatorum
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Strychnos potatorum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Strychnos potatorum
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Strychnos potatorum
iNaturalist: Strychnos potatorum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Strychnos potatorum
JSTOR Plant Science: Strychnos potatorum
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Strychnos potatorum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Strychnos potatorum
Plants of the World Online: Strychnos potatorum
The Plant List (version 1.1): Strychnos potatorum
Tropicos: Strychnos potatorum
Wikipedia: Strychnos potatorum
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2020). Flora of Mozambique: Species information: Strychnos potatorum.