Garcinia livingstonei
Garcinia livingstonei T. Anderson
Common names
African mangosteen (English); mulyanganga (Bemba) chipufwe, nembanemba (Kunda); mumpili, mpule (Nyanja); mupuli (Tumbuka).
The scientific generic name honours Laurent Garcin, a French botanist of the early eighteenth century who collected plants in India, the specific name honours David Livingstone the missionary explorer.
General description and distinguishing characteristics
Garcinia livingstonei is usually found as an evergreen medium sized tree, 4.5-12 m in height, although it can grow into a straggly shrub. Its form of branching is very characteristic, with short branches radiating in whorls from the central main stems, like a bunch of flowers. Bark grey and moderately smooth. Leaves simple, in whorls of 3, occasionally in 4’s or opposite. Leaf 4-14 x 1.5-11 cm, very variable, lanceolate or oblanceolate to oblong or obovate. Leaves are dark green and leathery; young leaves red. Petiole stout, 4-8 mm long. Flowers white to pale green, in clusters of up to 15, with a sickly sweet perfume (July-October). Fruit a berry, 1-2.5 cm in diameter, orange-yellow to reddish (November-December).
Range and habitat
Garcinia livingstonei occurs throughout tropical Africa, and extends down in to South Africa and Swaziland. In the Luangwa valley this species is common on the banks of rivers and lagoons, and sometimes on stony hills and on termite mounds.
