Capparis fascicularis, the zigzag caper-bush,[2] is a plant in the Capparaceae family and is native to Africa.
This species has multiple synonyms. The species is said to comprise three varieties, but four are listed:[1]
Occurs from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, through KwaZulu-Natal, Eswatini, Mpumalanga,[3] Limpopo, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.[4] The range extends further to East Africa, Ethiopia, and across northern Nigeria, Niger and the Gambia.[5] This species generally occurs in deciduous bushland and thickets, grassland with scattered trees, upland dry evergreen and riverine forest, and sometimes on termite-mounds.[1] Var. fascicularis is found in dry bushveld[2] or dry deciduous woodland in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini.[6] Var. zeyheri is found in forest, bushveld and woodland near the coast in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, South Africa.[2] Var. elaeagnoides is found in Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Niger, Nigeria, Mali and the Gambia.[7]
A scrambling shrub or climber, usually with hooked spines on the stem.[3] Two varieties are known in South Africa; var. fascicularis (zigzag caper-bush) and var. zeyheri (coast zigzag caper-bush).[2] The most notable difference between these two varieties is that var. fascicularis has indented (notched[2]) leaf-tips whereas var. zeyheri has pointed leaf-tips. The spines on the coast zigzag caper-bush are usually reduced or absent.[2][3] The fragrant flowers are whitish[2] and produced on leafless side branchlets which resemble spikes or racemes.[8] The fruit are spherical and 6–15 mm in diameter, ripening to purple-black.[8]
The leaves are sold as food in markets of northern Nigeria.[5]
Capparis fascicularis is the larval foodplant of the butterflies Belenois creona and Eronia cleodora.[9]
Capparis fascicularis, the zigzag caper-bush, is a plant in the Capparaceae family and is native to Africa.
Flowers of Capparis fascicularis var. zeyheri Portion of a mature stem of C. f. var. zeyheri showing paired spinesCapparis fascicularis es una planta de la familia Capparaceae, nativa de África.
Alcanza hasta 7 m de altura. Es un arbusto escalador o enredadera, con espinas de 2 a 3 mm en forma de gancho en el tallo; con corteza gris oscura. Las hojas son alternas, verdes, lanceoladas, de 2 a 4 cm de longitud por 1 a 1,5 cm de ancho;[2] terminadas en punta en la variedad C.f. zeyheri y en una muesca en la variedad C.f. fascicularis; pecílo de 2 a 5 mm de largo.[2] Inflorescencia axilar; las flores son blancas,[3] con 4 sépalos de 4 a 5 mm de largo y 4 pétalos de 10 cm. Los frutos son esféricos, de 1,5 2 cm de diámetro, de color anaranjado a castaño[2] o, en la variedad C.f. fascicularis, púrpura negruzco al madurar.[4]
Se encuentra generalmente en matorrales caducifolios y en matorrales o pastizales con árboles dispersos, bordes del bosque seco, bosques siempre verde y fluviales secos de secano, y a veces en montículos de termitas.
Ha sido reportada como planta hospedera de las mariposas Leptosia alcesta, Belenois aurota, Eronia cleodora, Belenois creona, Belenois gidica.[5][6]
Las hojas se usan como condimento.[2] Se comercializan en los mercados de Nigeria.[7]
Capparis fascicularis fue descrita por Augustin Pyrame de Candolle y publicado en Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 1: 248. 1824.[8]
Capparis: nombre genérico que procede del griego: kapparis que es el nombre de la alcaparra.[9]
fascicularis: epíteto latino que significa "en paquetes".[10]
Capparis fascicularis es una planta de la familia Capparaceae, nativa de África.
Capparis fascicularis là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Capparaceae. Loài này được DC. mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1824.[1]
Capparis fascicularis là một loài thực vật có hoa trong họ Capparaceae. Loài này được DC. mô tả khoa học đầu tiên năm 1824.