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Image of Forest bead-string
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Forest Bead String

Alchornea hirtella Benth.

Derivation of specific name

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
hirtella : finely and minutely hairy
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Alchornea hirtella Benth. Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=134950
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Description

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Rather spindly shrub or small tree. Bark smooth, pale grey; branches often lax, sometimes with aerial roots. Leaves alternate, elliptic-oblanceolate, 5-20 cm long, light green, single-veined from the base; young leaves reddish with short soft hairs; base with a pair of glands on the upper surface; margin irregularly and shallowly toothed; petiole up to 2 cm long, swollen at both ends. Stipules bristle-like. Flowers in terminal and axillary panicles, unisexual in different inflorescences on the same plant or on different plants. Male flowers minute, orange-yellowish, with 2 sepals, usually in terminal (rarely axillary) panicles. Female flowers greenish with red styles, in shorter more spike-like inflorescences. Fruit a 3-lobed capsule, c. 10 mm in diameter, smooth, green to brown when ripe.
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Alchornea hirtella Benth. Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=134950
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe

Worldwide distribution

provided by Flora of Zimbabwe
Widespread in more humid parts of tropical Africa
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten and Petra Ballings
bibliographic citation
Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T. and Ballings, P. (2002-2014). Alchornea hirtella Benth. Flora of Zimbabwe website. Accessed 28 August 2014 at http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=134950
author
Mark Hyde
author
Bart Wursten
author
Petra Ballings
original
visit source
partner site
Flora of Zimbabwe