Sideroxylon mirmulano
| Sideroxylon mirmulano | |
|---|---|
 | |
| An example of Sideroxylon mirmulano (ironwood) at the Lisbon Botanical Garden in Portugal | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Sapotaceae |
| Genus: | Sideroxylon |
| Species: | S. mirmulano |
| Binomial name | |
| Sideroxylon mirmulano R.Br. in C.L.von Buch | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Sideroxylon mirmulano is a species of ironwood plant in the Sapotaceae family. It is found in Cape Verde, Madeira Islands (Portugal), and Canary Islands (Spain). It is threatened by habitat loss.
Description
It is a tree or a shrub that grows up to 10 metres, its leaves are 4–15 cm long.
Its flowers are rosy with petals measuring up to 7 mm, arranged in auxiliary glomeruli, its fruit is a drupe, 1.8 cm long and red to purple in colour at maturity.
The flowers bloom between December and January.
Distribution
The genus is found on Madeira island and also on the island of Porto Santo and Ilhas Desertas. It also occurs in the Canary Islands and parts of Cape Verde.
The subspecies var. marginata (Sideroxylon marginata) is endemic to the Cape Verde Islands, it is known as the Cape Verde ironwood. One of the areas where it is found is the island of Santiago (Serra da Malagueta, Pico da Antónia, Monte Graciosa)
Other
One of the species is at the Lisbon Botanical Gardens (Jardim Botânico de Lisboa) in Portugal.
Sources
- Árvores e Florestas de Portugal - Açores e Madeira ("Trees and Flowers of Portugal: the Azores and Madeira"), Edic. Público, Comunicações, SA. Dep. law no. 254481/2007
- Bañares, A. et al. 1998. Sideroxylon mirmulano. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 August 2007.
- Press, J.R., Short, M.J., 1994. "Flora of Madeira". HMSO. London
- Schmidt, Johann Anton (1852). Beiträge zur Flora der Cap Verdischen Inseln.