Ehretia amoena

Ehretia amoena Klotzsch

Common names

Sandpaper bush (English); mutowamfumu (Kunda); mpulukututu, nalikito, ntunda (Nyanja).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

A shrub or small tree up to 5 m tall, Ehretia amoena is most easily recognised by its rough, sandpaper-like leaves. Bark smooth, light brown to grey. Leaves simple, alternate, spirally arranged or on spur shoots, obovate to broadly obovate, sometimes elliptic, up to 12 x 8 cm. Thinly textured, soft or roughly scabrid on the upper surface, dark green above, paler below with prominent lateral veins and mid rib. Margin entire or with a single widely spaced tooth on either side of the leaf apex. Petiole 4-10 mm long. Flowers fragrant, white, small, 3-4 mm in diameter, produced in profusion in loose terminal panicles with or just before the new leaves (October-February) Fruit a spherical, red, fleshy berry, 5-7 mm in diameter, containing four 1-seeded stones (November to March).

Range and habitat

Ehretia amoena occurs in Swaziland, north eastern South Africa, Mozambique and eastern Zimbabwe, extending north into Zambia. In the Luangwa valley it is an occasional species found on sandy riverine soils n fringing woodland and thicket.