Ochna membranacea is a shrub or small sized tree with yellow petals surrounded by red sepals belonging to the family Ochnaceae.

Ochna membranacea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Ochnaceae
Genus: Ochna
Species:
O. membranacea
Binomial name
Ochna membranacea
Oliv.

Description edit

A shrub or tree, the species is capable of reaching an height of 12 m; its stems tend to have longitudinal lines.[1] The leaves have linear stipules and the leaflets are obovate to elliptic in shape; leaflets have a toothed margin and are capable of reaching 20 cm long and 7 cm wide, they are acuminate at the apex and cuneate to rounded at base.[1] The yellow flowers are arranged in panicles that are 5-12 cm long and the fuit is a kidney shaped drupe.[1]

Distribution and habitat edit

Found in Tropical Africa from Guinea in West Africa eastwards to the Congo Basin and Sudan. It is commonly found in gallery and evergreen forests and observed in thickets.[1][2]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Verdcourt, Bernard (2005). Flora of tropical East Africa. ochn: Ochnaceae / by B. Verdcourt (1. publ ed.). Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens. ISBN 978-1-84246-108-2.
  2. ^ Nansen, Christian; Tchabi, Atti; Meikle, William G. (2001). "Successional sequence of forest types in a disturbed dry forest reserve in southern Benin, West Africa". Journal of Tropical Ecology. 17 (4): 525–539. doi:10.1017/S0266467401001390. ISSN 0266-4674.