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Cape Gardenia

Rothmannia capensis

Also called Common Rothmannia, Scented Bells, Stately Rothmannia

Cape Gardenia
Photo: Rotational, Public domain
Family
Rubiaceae (Coffee family)
Grows as
Tree
Native range
S. Africa
Climate
desert or dry shrubland

About

Rothmannia capensis is a South African tree belonging to the Rubiaceae, usually about 5 m high in the open, but reaching 20 m under forest conditions. It occurs from the south-western Cape Province along the coastal regions and inland to the Waterberg and Soutpansberg in the Transvaal. It is a common tree on the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. It produces abundant sweetly fragrant flowers in summer, and these are followed by smooth, dark green spherical fruits about 80mm in diameter. The blackish bark has a distinctive rectangular pattern of fine cracks.

The genus was named for Göran Rothman (1739–1778) by Thunberg – both were pupils of Linnaeus.

Other Rothmannia plants

Wright's gardenia · Rothmannia ebamutensis · September Bells · Rothmannia longiflora · Rothmannia lujae · Rothmannia macrosiphon · Rothmannia

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Rothmannia capensis by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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