Wightman, N. 2025. Observation of Gardenia ternifolia subsp. jovis-tonantis, Mwinilunga, Zambia. iNaturalist. Online. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/327150191.
Species
Gardenia cornuta Hemsl.
Tonga gardenia, Natal gardenia, horned gardenia (Eng.); wilde-appel, Tongakatjiepiering, Natalkatjiepiering (Afr.); unomphumela, umvalasangweni (isiZulu).
SA Tree No: 690.1
A small tree up to 5 m in height. Leaves arranged in whorls of three, clustered towards the ends of short, rigid branchlets, broadly obovate, measuring 20–50 x 15–27 mm, leathery, shiny light green on the upper side, dull green underneath, glabrous, with hairy pockets (domatia) present on the underside. The apex is very broadly tapering to a rounded tip, while the base narrows into a not-so-distinct petiole, up to 3 mm long. The margins are wavy and entire. Flowers are white, turning yellow as they mature, with a corolla tube up to 60 mm long and five spreading lobes. The calyx is tubular and foliaceous. The fruit is ovoid, measuring 45 x 38 mm, yellow, crowded with a persistent calyx (in profusion). Flowering occurs from late summer to early spring (Feb. to Aug.). It is recorded in low-altitude areas within the bushveld and thicket of northeastern KwaZulu-Natal, southern Mozambique, and the marginal regions of Mpumalanga. Young fruits are eaten by monkeys and Nyala (Tragelaphus sp.). Both fruit and roots are used as an emetic.
Gardenia resiniflua Hiern subsp. resiniflua
gummy gardenia (Eng.), harpuiskatjiepiering (Afr.)
SA Tree No:690.2
Shrub or small tree 3–7 m tall, with smooth, pale grey, slightly peeling bark. Leaves obovate, 20-80 mm long, apex pointed, veining conspicuous, velvety when young, becoming sparsely roughly hairy above, densely velvety below, in whorls of 3 on short, stiff side branchlets. Flowers white, about 30 mm long and 30 mm wide, solitary in the upper leaf axils, heavily sweet scented. Fruit small, yellowish-brown, ovoid to almost round, approximately 15 mm diameter, densely covered in short hairs, the calyx lobes remain attached to the fruit, like a crown. Flowering occurs in early summer (Nov. to Dec.), fruiting in late summer and autumn (Feb. to May). Occurs in bushveld, woodland and scrub, often along rivers, up to 1 300 m, in Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northern South Africa, and in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and the DRC. The wood is suitable for carving and making utensils such as spoons. Fruits are used in tattoing. Leaves are browsed by buck. The name resiniflua means ‘with a flowing resin’ referring to the drops of yellow resin often found on the growing bud.
Gardenia ternifolia Schumach. & Thonn. subsp. jovis-tonantis (Welw.) Verdc. var. goetzei (Stapf & Hutch.) Verdc.
powder-bark gardenia (Eng.), poeierbaskatjiepiering (Afr.), tshiralala (Venda)
SA Tree No: 690.3
Shrub or small, spreading tree 3–5 m tall with smooth, powdery, grey or yellowish-brown bark. Leaves oblanceolate to obovate, apex rounded, roughly hairy on both surfaces and rough to the touch, in whorls of 3 on short, rigid side branchlets. Hair-tuft domatia are present on the leaves. Flowers are white, turning yellow with age, sweetly scented, up to 45 mm long and 40 mm wide, solitary at the ends of the branchlets. Fruits large, ovoid, 50 × 35 mm, velvety, yellowish-brown, crowned with the remains of the calyx, not ribbed. Flowering in spring and early summer (Sep. to Dec.), fruiting in late summer to winter (Feb. to Jun.). Occurs in wooded grassland, on rocky slopes and koppies, along streams and in vleis, and sometimes on termite mounds, in Limpopo in South Africa, and in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi and in tropical Africa. The wood is hard and very fine-grained, yellow or pink. Seeds yield a black dye that is used for painting the skin. Branches are sometimes put on the roof to ward off lightning. The name ternifolia means ‘leaves in threes’, jovis-tonantis refers to ‘Jupiter the Thunderer’ and goetzii is named after German naturalist Walter Goetze (1872-1899).
Gardenia thunbergia Thunb.
forest gardenia, white gardenia, wild gardenia (Eng.); witkatjiepiering, buffelsbal, boskatjiepiering, kannetjieboom (Afr.); umvalasangweni-wehlathi, umkhwakhwane (isiZulu); umkangazi, umkancaza, umkangana, isisende (isiXhosa).
SA Tree No:692
Shrub or small tree reaching up to 7 m in height. Leaves arranged in whorls of three to four, clustered towards the ends of branchlets; elliptic, measuring 75–150 mm by 38–100 mm; leathery with a glossy green appearance. Hairy pockets (domatia) are present on the underside of the leaves. The leaf apex is rounded and tapers finely, with a narrowed base attached to a slender petiole up to 26 mm long. The leaf margins are wavy and entire. Flowers are white, featuring a corolla tube up to 70 mm long with 8 (–9) spreading lobes. The calyx is tubular and foliaceous. The fruit is ovoid, approximately 90 x 55 mm, hard, with a persistent calyx. Flowering occurs from spring to late summer (Oct. to Feb.). Typically found in evergreen forests from the coast to the midlands, notably in the coastal region of Alexander Forest in the Eastern Cape to Kosi Bay in KwaZulu-Natal. Flowers attract hawk-moths (Agrius sp.). The root infusion is traditionally used as an emetic to treat biliousness and skin eruptions associated with leprosy.
Gardenia volkensii K.Schum.
bushveld gardenia (Eng.); Transvaalkatjiepiering, bosveldkatjiepiering, kannetjieboom, stompdoring (Afr.); morala (Northern-Sotho, Tswana); umgongwane, umkhwakhwane-omkulu (isiZulu)
SA Tree No: 690.8 and 691 and 691.1
Small tree reaching up to 7 m in height. Leaves arranged in whorls of three, clustered near the ends of short, rigid branchlets. They are broadly ovate, measuring 30–75 x 25–40 mm, glossy dark green, often glabrous, rarely with the presence of hispid hairs on both sides. Hairy pockets (domatia) are present on the underside. The leaf apex is broadly tapering to a rounded tip, while the base narrows gradually into a slender petiole up to 26 mm long. Leaf margins are wavy and occasionally appear serrated. Flowers are white, turning yellow as they mature. The corolla tube can be up to 80 mm long, with 6(9) spreading lobes, opening at night. The calyx is tubular and foliaceous. The fruit is ellipsoid, measuring 110 x 100 mm, grey-green, and crowded with a persistent calyx. Flowering occurs from winter to summer (Jul. to Dec.). The species has been recorded in open woodlands and bushveld, from KwaZulu-Natal to tropical Africa.
Two subspecies of this species are recorded in southern Africa. They are separated based on their fruit morphology, although it is not always clear-cut, especially from preserved specimens. G. volkensii subsp. volkensii is distinguished from subsp. spatulifolia by its larger, white fruit with coarser ribs and conspicuous white dots (lenticels). G. volkensii subsp. volkensii var. saundersiae is diagnosed by its well-developed calyx lobes (15–25 mm long), whereas G. volkensii subsp. volkensii var. volkensii has calyx lobes up to 10–15 mm long.
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