Donella viridifolia

Fluted milkwood
mature habit, South Africa
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Sapotaceae
Genus:	Donella
Species:	D. viridifolia
Binomial name
Donella viridifolia (J.M.Wood & Franks) Aubrév. & Pellegr. (1961)
Synonyms
Chrysophyllum viridifolium J.M.Wood & Franks (1911)

Donella viridifolia, commonly known as fluted milkwood, is a potentially large (up to 20 m tall) species of evergreen milkwood tree that occurs in East African coastal forests, southerly coastal forest mosaics and in some inland forests of the tropics and subtropics.

Range and habitat

It is native to Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, eastern Zimbabwe, Eswatini and South Africa (KZN and Eastern Cape provinces). Its habitat is coastal forest northwards of East London, and montane forests of the Chimanimani range and Malawi.

Description

The trunk may be fluted at the base, and the greyish bark is fairly smooth and mottled. Young branches and the undersides of leaves are covered in reddish indumentum. The blunt-tipped, oblong leaves measure some 4-9 by 1.5-5 cm. The indented midrib is connected to a sub-marginal vein by numerous, closely spaced parallel veins. The wavy margin is entire. The white flowers are borne in axillary clusters. The edible fruit are almost round and slightly ribbed, and ripen to a yellow colour.

Gallery

• 
  bark texture
• 
  foliage on spray
• 
  leaves
• 
  leaf venation
• 
  flowers