Mickey Mouse Bush
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Rooihout  Mickey Mouse bushOchna serrulata Ithala Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal |
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Ochna serrulata - A shrub to 3 m. Widely distributed on the subtropical (east) coast of southern Africa from sea level to altitudes of up to 1800 m. Found on the margin of as well as in evergreen forests, in scrub forests, on rocky hill slopes, in bushveld and it is common in the grasslands of KwaZulu-Natal and the former Transkei area. It is also found in the southeastern part of Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Swaziland.
Bark on branches has numerous small corky spots (lenticels). The flowers are yellow, petals each 1 cm long. After flowering the sepals turn red and reflex, to reveal the seeds which are at first green and later turn shiny black. Leaves to 6 cm long, edges toothed and often wavy. Short leaf stalk.
Considered a weed in Australia.
Other names: UK Mickey Mouse plant, small-leaved plane, carnival bush, Bird's-eye bush - Afrikaans fynblaarrooihout - Zulu Umbomvane - Xhosa iliTye - D Vogelaugenbusch, Micky-Maus-Pflanze>
Books
Vincent Carruthers (ed.) - The Wildlife of Southern Africa. Struik Publ. ISBN 1-86872-451-4
Kristo Pienaar - Watter Blom is dit? Struik Uitg. ISBN 1-86872-442-5
Wild Flowers of South Africa, ed. JP Rourke. Struik Publ. 1996. ISBN 1-82825-897-1
Weblinks
South African National Biodiversity Institute