Thilachium africanum Lour.
Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (18)
Photo: Colin Wenham
Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve
Photo: Colin Wenham
Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve
Photo: Colin Wenham
Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve
Photo: Colin Wenham
Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve
Photo: Meg Coates Palgrave
Catapu Concession, Sofala.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road no3, Gorongosa National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Along road no3, Gorongosa National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Tembwahata pans, Gonarezhou National Park.
Photo: Mark Hyde
Near Mahenye Village
Photo: Mark Hyde
Near Mahenye Village
Photo: Mark Hyde
Camp by Turgwe River, Humani Ranch
Photo: Mark Hyde
Camp by Turgwe River, Humani Ranch
Photo: Mark Hyde
Camp by Turgwe River, Humani Ranch
Photo: Mark Hyde
Camp by Turgwe River, Humani Ranch
Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
Synonyms:
|
Thilachium verrucosum Klotzsch Thylachium africanum Lour.
|
Common names:
|
Cucumber-bush (English)
|
Frequency:
|
|
Status:
|
Native |
Description:
|
Shrub or small tree. Leaves simple or 3-foliolate, elliptic to obovate, up to 10 cm long, dark green, leathery, hairless; midrib sunken above, prominent below; apex round or notched with a hair-like tip; petiole up to 6 cm long, not grooved. Flowers in axillary or terminal few-flowered heads, without petals, stamens numerous, white to cream. Fruit cylindric-oblong, up to 6 cm long, distinctly longitudinally ribbed, indehiscent |
Type location:
|
|
Notes:
|
|
Derivation of specific name:
|
africanum: of Africa |
Habitat:
|
In hot and dry open woodland and thickets. |
Altitude range: (metres) |
|
Flowering time: | Aug - Oct |
Worldwide distribution:
|
Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and Madagascar. |
National distribution:
|
S |
Growth form(s):
|
Tree, shrub over 2 m.
|
Endemic status:
|
|
Red data list status:
|
|
Insects associated with this species:
|
|
Spot characters:
|
Display spot characters for this species |
Literature:
|
Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 166. (Includes a picture).
Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 238.
Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 32.
Wild, H. (1960). Capparaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(1) Pages 213 - 215. As Thylacium africanum (Includes a picture).
|
Other sources of information about Thilachium africanum:
Our websites:
Flora of Mozambique:
Thilachium africanumFlora of Zimbabwe:
Thilachium africanumExternal websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg):
Thilachium africanumAfrican Plant Database:
Thilachium africanumBHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library):
Thilachium africanumEOL (Encyclopedia of Life):
Thilachium africanumGBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility):
Thilachium africanumGoogle:
Web -
Images -
ScholariNaturalist:
Thilachium africanumIPNI (International Plant Names Index):
Thilachium africanumJSTOR Plant Science:
Thilachium africanumMansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops:
Thilachium africanumPlants of the World Online:
Thilachium africanumTropicos:
Thilachium africanumWikipedia:
Thilachium africanum
Copyright:
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2014-25
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M.
(2025).
Flora of Malawi: Species information: Thilachium africanum. https://www.malawiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=124710, retrieved 2 April 2025
Site software last modified: 25 February 2025 2:24pm (GMT +2)
Terms of use