Englerophytum natalense, the silver-leaf milkplum, is a medium-sized, evergreen tree that occurs along forested escarpments from East Africa to South Africa.[1] The leaves are alternately arranged or spiralled,[2] and to some extent crowded near the ends of branches. They are glossy green to greyish green above and covered in silvery hairs below.[1] The stem is straight and the bark smooth. Young branches are covered with dense brownish hairs.[2] The plant contains a milky latex.
| Silver-leaf milkplum | |
|---|---|
| |
| In KwaZulu-Natal | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Sapotaceae |
| Genus: | Englerophytum |
| Species: | E. natalense
|
| Binomial name | |
| Englerophytum natalense (Sond.) T.D.Penn.
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
It is a larval food plant of the butterflies Euptera pluto kinugnana, Pseudacraea boisduvalii trimeni, P. eurytus imitator and P. lucretia.[2]
Similar species
editManilkara discolor has rough bark, attains a larger size, and is native to drier regions.[2]
Gallery
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Foliage -
Ripe fruit
References
edit- ^ a b c Hyde, Mark; et al. "Englerophytum natalense (Sond.) T.D. Penn". Flora of Zimbabwe. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
- ^ a b c d Nonyane, Frank (2013). "Englerophytum natalense (Sond.) T.D.Penn". PlantZAfrica.com. SANBI. Retrieved 10 October 2013.