| Macaranga capensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Malpighiales |
| Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
| Genus: | Macaranga |
| Species: | M. capensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Macaranga capensis | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Macaranga capensis is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It is a tree native to sub-Saharan Africa, ranging through eastern and southern Africa from southern Ethiopia to the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, [3] [4] [2] with an outlier population in Gabon in west-central Africa. [2] [1]
Macaranga capensis is a medium to large deciduous tree, typically 4.5 to 18 metres (15 to 59 ft) tall and occasionally up to 25 metres (82 ft). It has a rounded spreading crown. It typically has a straight bole, and the trunk and branches are armed with short spines. The leaves are large, shiny, and dark green, ovate to triangular-ovate, 100–150 mm (3.9–5.9 in) long by 80–120 mm (3.1–4.7 in) wide, with a short drip-tip at the apex. Flowers grow in clusters of small creamy white or yellow blooms. [5] [4]
It generally grows in evergreen forests and along stream banks. [3]
The tree is harvested from the wild for timber and for local medicinal uses. It is planted as a shade or garden tree. [5]
