Phyllanthaceae
Maesobotrya pynaertii
- Leafy shoot.
- Bark and slash.
- Leaf margin with very small teeth, lower surface.
- Petioles.
- Female flowers.
- Male flowers.
- Fruit.
General Information
This species is not very typical of the genus. It grows into a taller tree than the other species, and has smaller leaves with shorter petioles. The bark is soft with deep vertical fissures running up the trunk. The slash has a pale brown layer on the outside, and a dull orange colour in the centre which oxidises to a darker and brighter shade. The leaves have tiny tufts of hairs along the margin which require a lens to be seen properly. The domatia are scattered along the lamina close to the midrib rather than in the axils of the secondary veins. The species is dioecious with male and female flowers on different individuals. The flowers are produced in 5–10 cm long inflorescences on branches below the leaves.
Ecology
Restricted to the seasonally flooded swamps of the centre of the Congo River Basin.
Distribution
Distribution: DRC and Republic of Congo. This is the first record outside DRC.