Labourdonnaisia calophylloides

Labourdonnaisia calophylloides ("Bois de Natte a Petites Feuilles") is a species of plant in the family Sapotaceae native to the islands of Mauritius and Réunion in the Indian Ocean.[1]

Labourdonnaisia calophylloides
Young specimen at Vallée de Ferney
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Asterids
Order:
Ericales
Family:
Sapotaceae
Subfamily:
Sapotoideae
Genus:
Labourdonnaisia
Binomial name
Labourdonnaisia calophylloides
Bojer
Synonyms[1]
  • Mimusops calophylloides (Bojer) Baill.
  • Labourdonnaisia sarcophleia Bojer
  • Mimusops calophylloides var. revoluta Cordem.

Description
Detail of foliage of a young specimen, at Monvert Nature Park, Curepipe

It reaches heights of 20 meters in the wild, and it develops a very characteristic and ornamental shape, as its leaves bunch together at the very tips of each twig.

Distribution

It was formerly widespread across the Mascarene islands. In the wild it still occurs in Mauritius at Grand Bassin, Petrin, and is locally common in the recovering forests of Monvert.

It is not to be confused with its relative, the similarly named Labourdonnaisia glauca ("Bois de Natte a Grandes Feuilles"). Labourdonnaisia tree species can also sometimes be confused with the endemic trees of the genus Sideroxylon (S.puberulum and S.cinereum). However Labourdonnaisia species have parallel venation on their leaves, while the Sideroxylon species have densely netted leaf-venation and strong midribs under their leaves.

References
  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected plant Families


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