Notices for Users of the Albums

1. New Albums and some changes

 

The latest Albums on genera of South African plants added to the Operation Wildflower Site are the ones on Cyrtanthus, Dicoma and Strumaria. This means that photos and stories of plants belonging to these genera already on the Site, together with some new ones, have been moved from the more general Albums called Bulbs and Herbs respectively into their own new Albums under Genera. 

 

There is a genus Album in every case where enough material has been accumulated to warrant a stand-alone grouping of photos and stories. There are now more than 220 such genera Albums. The biggest ones (most photos) belong to the genera Crassula, Euphorbia, Pelargonium, Aloe and Erica. Keep watching, more will be added. If there is no genus Album yet on the plant you are looking for, check under Types, the grouping that the Site was started off with, accessible via the pictured items shown on the right. The Search Box may yield more, for plants and related material are also shown in Albums on Habitat, Regions and Parks and Gardens.

 

In order to access items on a plant of interest, enter its botanical name in the Search Box. Entering other words or names will access what is contained in the Albums database. The latest Regions Album is the one on Nature's Valley and the latest Parks and Gardens Album is on Tietiesbaai also known as the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve.

 

2. Want to talk about a plant or an Album item?

 

There is a new way of communicating with the Editor of this Site regarding any of the Album Items.
Comments, questions, corrections, information and suggestions can be put to the Editor by using the following email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Please ensure that the Album Item concerned is clearly identified. Type its exact title as well as the Album Name in the Subject Line of your email. Please also state your name.

 

Similarly, communication regarding the functioning or technical aspects of the Site can be directed to the Webmaster at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

3. Reduced Mobile Site for Cell Phone Users

 

Operation Wildflower now also offers a reduced Mobile Site for cell phone use that only presents the Albums contents. This is aimed at overcoming display difficulties on some of the mobile devices in use for quick reference. The reduction found in the Mobile Site doesn't affect the full set of photos and stories of Operation Wildflower, only in diminishing the Site's secondary details that may make it hard to access the items on a small screen.

 

It is best to use the normal or full Operation Wildflower Site on computers, iPads and devices with bigger screens, as well as those that present unimpaired display of full details and access to all material on offer.

 

Should viewing difficulties be experienced on your device, click here to access the Mobile Site.

 

4. Subject Index

 

A Subject Index of a selection of topics touched on in Album Item text has been started, other than plant species. Access it via Information.

 

The Album Item Title should be clicked upon to open the Item dealing with the Topic.

 

Check in the Search Box for yet more subjects not added to the Subject Index list yet.

 

Ximenia caffra

Botanical name

Ximenia caffra (SA No 103)

Other names

Sourplum; suurpruim (Afrikaans); morokologa (sePedi)

Family

Olacaceae

Dimensions

Small tree or large shrub of irregular shape, often 3 to 4 m in height; in Tanzania reported to grow to 15 m

Description of stem

Often several stemmed, dark grey and rough bark on older stems; spine-tipped branchlets are common

Description of leaves

Dark green, shiny, with orange, hairy sheen, fascicled, margin entire, rolled under

Description of flowers

Clusters of small creamy flowers in September and October

Desciption of seed/fruit

Ellipsoid, orange-red, mottled fleshy fruit, 2,5 cm in length; edible, but soon sour after the first taste when the leathery skin is broken

Description of roots

 

Variation

Variations with and without persistent light brown hairs on leaves and young branches; two distinct variations, var. caffra with hairs on leaves and young branches occurs in Gauteng and in the northerly parts of Limpopo, whilst var. natalensis with smooth leaves is found in the more easterly parts of the tree's distribution area

Propagation and cultivation

Fresh seeds are sown in a compost and river sand mix; plant two-leaf seedlings for a season in containers, then in the ground

Tolerances

Thrives in sun, resists drought and can tolerate mild cold

Uses

Seeds yield an oil used in a variety of ways; fruit used for making a jelly; fruit eaten by baboons, sometimes by children; popular garden subject that attracts birds and butterflies; reported to have been used in the treatment of among other things the treatment of bilharzia and malaria

Ecological rarity

Common

Pests and diseases

 

Other

 

Location

In wooded areas on hillsides and in grasslands, often on rocky outcrops

Distribution (SA provinces)

Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Kwazulu-Natal

Country

South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia

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