| Trichilia emetica | |
|---|---|
.JPG) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Meliaceae |
| Genus: | Trichilia |
| Species: | T. emetica |
| Binomial name | |
| Trichilia emetica Vahl. | |
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Trichilia emetica is a tree in the familyMeliaceae, commonly known as theNatal mahogany. It is an evergreen tree,[1] with handsome glossy dark green leaves and a wide spreading crown. Its sweet-scented flowers attract bees and birds.
Trichilia emetica has two subspecies,emetica andsuberosa.T. emetica ssp.emetica is restricted tosouthern Africa, whilesuberosa occur northwards of theZambezi River.
These trees are found in riverine vegetation and open woodland fromKwaZulu-Natal Province ofSouth Africa toTropical Africa.[2]
Trichilia emetica is an evergreen, medium to large tree, up to 25 m high, with separate male and female plants. It has a dense, spreading crown. Leaflets are dark glossy green above, tips more or less rounded or broadly pointed, lower surface sparsely to densely hairy with principal side veins in 11–18 closely spaced pairs.
Flowers are creamy green and sweetly scented.Trichilia emetica flowers in August to November.
The fruit is a dehiscent capsule, 18–25 mm in diameter, sharply differentiated from a 5–10 mm long neck. The seeds are black and almost completely enveloped by a bright red aril.[3] The fruit is anemetic, hence the taxonomic name of the plant.
Media related toTrichilia emetica at Wikimedia Commons