Rourea orientalis

Rourea orientalis Baker (Byrsocarpus orientalis (Baill.) Baker)

Common names

Short pod (English); kapakati, nachisungu (Bemba); kapulula-mbushi (Bemba/Kunda/Nyanja); kozi, mkula-nsinga, msanla-njazi, msitoti, msuka-chuma, ntanda-nyerere (Nyanja); unahambalala (Tumbuka).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

Rourea orientalis is a deciduous shrub, climber or small tree up to 6 m tall, and is most easily distinguished by its orange-red, ovoid, fleshy fruit and compound leaves. Bark grey, smooth; branchlets purplish with lenticels. Leaves compound, imparipinnate, 9-20 cm long, with 8-16 pairs of leaflets plus a terminal leaflet. Leaflets mid-green, oblong or elliptic, typically 4 x 1-1.5 cm, hairless, sometimes pubescent beneath. Margin entire. Flowers showy and attractive, white or yellow, up to 2.5 cm in diameter and produced with the new leaves in axillary sprays (September-November). Fruit an ovoid, fleshy capsule 1.5-2.5 cm long, orange to red when ripe, splitting to reveal a single seed (November-January).

Rourea orientalis can be confused with several Dalbergia species but is unmistakeable when in fruit.

Range and habitat

Rourea orientalis occurs throughout the Zambezian region and into DR Congo, Tanzania and Madagascar. In the Luangwa Valley, it is primarily found in hill miombo woodland on the Muchinga escarpment foothills.