Pyrenacantha malvifolia
Pyrenacantha malvifolia Engl.
Pyrenacantha malvifolia is a flowering plant species in the family Icacinaceae, native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Tanzania. It was first described in 1893 by Engler. The species is known by the common name 'monkey chair.'
Description
The fruit of Pyrenacantha malvifolia is elliptical, with a strigose epicarp covered in yellow simple hairs that become shriveled when dry. The mesocarp is 450–560 µm thick when dry, and the calyx is persistent. The endocarp is cream-colored, elliptical in lateral view, and lenticular in transverse section, measuring approximately 12.6 mm in length, 8.7 mm in width, and 6 mm in thickness. It features a keel along the plane of symmetry, an acute and asymmetrical apex, and a rounded, symmetrical base. The outer surface is pitted and ridged, with circular or elongate pits (0.3 mm in diameter) and associated peg-shaped tubercles. The endocarp wall is 440–516 µm thick and consists of three cell layers with varying cell widths and orientations.
Distribution
Ethiopia · Kenya · Somalia · Tanzania
Synonyms
Trematosperma cordatumPyrenacantha globosaPyrenacantha ruspoliiPyrenacantha malvifolia var. malvifolia