Vangueriopsis lanciflora

Vangueriopsis lanciflora (Hiern) Robyns ex R.D.Good

Common names

False medlar (English); mufilu, mungolomya (Bemba); mapolo-yakululu (Kunda); msole, mululu, mvilu, ngolovya (Nyanja); maula-ula (Tumbuka).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

Vangueriopsis lanciflora is a semi-evergreen shrub or small tree up to 12 m tall. Bark smoothish, grey-brown or grey flaking to show reddish underbark. Young branchlets rusty red. Leaves simple, opposite with interpetiolar stipules; oblong, oblong-elliptic or oblanceolate, up to 13 x 6 cm. Upper surface rough to the touch, lower surface paler green and finely hairy. Flowers white, fragrant and showy, produced in axillary heads or cymes. Corolla lobes up to 2.5 cm; Calyx densely hairy, green to golden green (July-October). Fruit ovoid, fleshy, edible and about 2.5 x 2 cm. Ripening to a yellowish brown and containing two pyrenes (May-June).

Vangueriopsis lanciflora (the false medlar) can be confused with the wild medlar (Vangueria infausta). Vangueria infausta has densely hairy leaves on both sides and its branchlets are not as conspicuously red as those of Vangueriopsis.

Range and habitat

Vangueriopsis lanciflora occurs throughout central and southern Africa from DR Congo and Tanzania in the north to South Africa in the south. In the Luangwa Valley it is found in valley riverine fringe woodland, mixed alluvial thicket and Combretum thicket.