Grewia occidentalis
Lavender Star Flower
The Lavender Star Flower ( Grewia occidentalis ), also called cross- berry, is a plant of the species-rich genus Star bushes ( Grewia ), which belongs to the mallow family ( Malvaceae ). It is widespread in Southern Africa.
- 5.1 Notes and references
Description
Appearance and leaf
The Lavender Star Flower grows as a deciduous shrub or small tree, reaching heights of growth of up to 3 meters. It grows mostly self erect, rarely climbing. The very thin branch have a bare bark.
The alternate, usually in horizontal, the light facing position arranged on the branches leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The bald petiole up to 1.3 cm long. The simple, glossy dark green leaf blade is lanceolate with a length of 2 to 7.5 cm and a width of 1.5 to 4 cm, rhombic- lanceolate or obovate - lanceolate with an almost wedge-shaped, rounded or slightly heart-shaped Spreitenbasis and a pointed or rounded top. On the leaf blade run three distinct veins from their base. The leaf margin sinuate to crenate - dentate. The upper leaf surface and underside is glabrous or slightly hairy fluffy. The early falling stipules are hairy ruler and fluffy with a length of up to 4 mm.
Inflorescence and flower
The flowering period extends into South Africa from October to January. One to three up to 12 mm long stalked flowers are in small inflorescences opposite spring foliage leaves on the upper portion of the branches. The relatively thin inflorescence stem is bare and about 15 mm long.
The radiärsymmetrische, star-shaped flower has a diameter of 1.5 to 3 cm. The fluffy, hairy outside and inside greenish purple or pink sepals are linear -oblong, with a length of up to 18 mm. The ten most - purple, pink or mauve, rarely white, a yellowish center possessing petals are oblong- lanceolate, with a length of up to 14 mm and nailed about 1 mm long with nectar glands. The Androgynophor is bare up to a height of about 1 cm and the top 3 mm are hairy intense fluffy. The four-lobed, upper permanent ovary is densely hairy. The up to 10 mm long, bleak style ends in a scar with broad stigma lobes.
Fruit
The shiny, bare stone fruit with a diameter of 2 to 5 cm significantly vierlappig (which also comes in the usual South African English common name "Cross -berry " or " Four -corner " for the expression). The change something fleshy fruits their color when ripe ( January to May) from Reddish brown to light purple and stay long time depend on the bush.
Distribution and ecology
The natural range of Grewia occidentalis is located in Southern Africa: it ranges in South Africa from the Western Cape through Botswana and Namibia to Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Their habitat includes arid areas of the Karoo and coastal dune vegetation to evergreen mountain forests. In the Highveld it often grows in clumps of bushes on rocky sites, often in the shadow of higher trees.
The leaves are eaten by cattle, goats and wild animals (such as rhino, giraffe, nyala and duiker ). The caterpillars of the butterfly species Eagris nottoana and Netrobalane Canopus also feed on their leaves.
Ripe fruits are food for various bird species such as mice or birds Bulbul and various mammals. Studies showed that a passage of the seeds increases through the intestines of baboons or other monkeys whose germination rate, as this chemical germination inhibitors are neutralized.
System
The first publication of Grewia occidentalis was made by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum, 2, p 964 The epithet occidentalis indicates west. Grewia occidentalis L. are synonyms for: Grewia chirindae Bak. f, Grewia microphylla Weim ..
The genus Grewia now belongs to subfamily Grewioideae and was formerly the family of the linden family ( Tiliaceae ) provided, which is now also a subfamily of the mallow family ( Malvaceae ).
Use
The timber has been used for the production of sheets and spearshafts.
The dried fruits, especially in areas where they reach high sugar content, dried for later consumption (or later boiled in milk). Partially also beer is made from them.
In folk medicine, the Lavender Star Flower has high importance. In hot water -soaked bark wounds is used to treat. Powdered bark is used for washing the hair, prevent their graying. Also parts of the plants have been used for the treatment of impotence or infertility. Root extracts should facilitate births.
Grewia occidentalis is a decorative ornamental plant which endures even light frosts and drought.
Swell
- Sharon Turner, Walter Sisulu sheet at plantzafrica.com - SA National Biodiversity Institute. (Section Description, occurrence and use)
- H. Wild: Tiliaceae. In: Flora Zambesiaca. Volume 2, 1963: Grewia occidentalis - Online. (Section Description and systematics)