Phyllanthus ovalifolius Forssk.

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Photo: Mark Hyde
National Botanic Garden, Harare

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Synonyms:	Phyllanthus guineensis Pax
Common names:	Small-fruited potato bush (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Usually a much-branched scrambling shrub, rarely a small tree. Leaves obovate to elliptic-oblong, produced on short lateral branchlets, giving the impression of compound leaves. Flowers in clusters on short axillary branchlets, small, yellowish-green, sexes separate on the same plant, flowering before the new leaves. Female flowers solitary along very thin branchlets appearing as racemes. Fruit berry-like, 3-4 mm, red to purple-black when ripe.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	ovalifolius: with oval (elliptic) leaves
Habitat:
Altitude range:
Flowering time:	Mainly Oct - Nov
Worldwide distribution:	Tropical Africa and Yemen
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 417. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 24. As Phyllanthus guineensis Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 251. As Phyllanthus guineensis Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 42. Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 42 - 43. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Pages 88 - 89.

Other sources of information about Phyllanthus ovalifolius:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Flora of Mozambique: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Flora of Zambia: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Flora of Zimbabwe: Phyllanthus ovalifolius

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Phyllanthus ovalifolius
African Plant Database: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Phyllanthus ovalifolius
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Phyllanthus ovalifolius
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Phyllanthus ovalifolius
JSTOR Plant Science: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Plants of the World Online: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Tropicos: Phyllanthus ovalifolius
Wikipedia: Phyllanthus ovalifolius