460.
Giant Raisin Grewia hexamita
Order: Malvales. Family: Malvaceae
© Richprins
© Richprins
© Richprins
Marloth Park, June 2020
Same tree in October 2020
Description
A large, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, 5 m high. It has a rough, dark grey bark. The branches are reddish brown, with conspicuous lenticels, and are covered in reddish hairs when young. The leaves are alternate and elliptic to oblong-elliptic, 30-100 x 25-60 mm, with a rounded or tapering apex. They are 3-veined from the asymmetrically lobed base, leathery, dark glossy green above and paler below, and the margins are serrated. The leaf stalk is about 3-6 mm long.
The flowers are regular, bisexual and have 5 petals, golden yellow, large, about 50 mm in diameter and there are 2 or 3 per stalk. The buds are velvety and reddish. The flowers are honey-scented and arranged in axillary clusters at the end of branches. The flowering time is September-December.
The fruits are large, round and shiny, reddish brown drupes, entire to deeply 2-lobed, up to 20 mm in diameter.
Distribution
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, eSwatini, in South Africa it is found in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga.
Habitat
In dry deciduous woodland, often in river valleys.
Ecology
The giant raisin's lovely scented flowers attract butterflies and birds. Bigger birds like Francolins and Guineafowl consume the fruit. Other animals that eat the fruit include Baboons, Elephant, Giraffe, Kudu, Monkeys and Warthogs. The seeds that have passed through the stomach of these animals germinate rapidly, presumably due to the stomach acids that help to dissolve the tough seed coat. The leaves are browsed by game and livestock.
Name derivation: Grewia named after Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712) who was an English plant anatomist. hexamita – 6 threads: meaning is unclear.
Common names: giant raisin, large-flowered grewia, Lowveld grewia (Eng.); reuserosyntjie, blinkblaarrosyntjie (Afr.); umsiphane (Swazi); nsihana, guguna, nsihani, sipane (Tsonga); mukunukunu (Venda); umlalampunzi, imdliwampunzi (Zulu)
Links:
https://treesa.org/grewia-hexamita/