Ancylobothrys capensis

Ancylobothrys capensis, the wild apricot, is a tangled, sprawling, multi-stemmed Southern African creeper of the family Apocynaceae.

Ancylobothrys capensis
Trailing down gorge in Magaliesberg
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Genus: Ancylobothrys
Species:
A. capensis
Binomial name
Ancylobothrys capensis
(Oliv.) Pichon
Synonyms[1]
  • Landolphia capensis Oliv.
  • Pacouria capensis (Oliv.) S.Moore

It is evergreen, often scrambling over rocks and other plants. New growth is covered in velvety, reddish-brown hairs. When damaged it exudes copious amounts of white latex. The leathery leaves are broadly elliptic, simple, opposite and erect, with prominent venation on both surfaces. Flowers are fragrant, about 40mm diameter, brilliant white when open and pinkish in bud.[2]

The round fruit are up to 50mm in diameter, khaki-green when immature, turning bright orange or yellow when ripe. The skin is thick, soft, brittle, and easily peeled. 3-4 seeds are embedded in a sweet and tasty acidic pulp.[2]

The species is common and occurs in rocky areas, particularly on quartzites throughout KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo Province, North West Province and Botswana.[1]

References

  1. "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". apps.kew.org. Retrieved 2017-08-07.
  2. "Ancylobothrys capensis". PlantZAfrica.com. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-10.

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