Unidentified Tree Species
A small tree, with leaves oppositely arranged. Inflorescences of pink flowers. Flowers look bisexual, in whorls of six, having 12 stamens and 6 petals, 2 free and 2 x 2 fused. Found near Newlands Forest Reservoir in Table Mountain National Park.
Other observations of Eastern Keurboom (Virgilia divaricata)
Comments
ja, i agree "lots of ifs",
ja, i agree "lots of ifs", but why suggest it is V divaricata? Are the odds higher that it is an introduced sp than a natural occuring one?
The dark flowers
The dark flowers were my leading reason. The leaves dont appear to be hairy below and leaflets have a rounded tip.
I have never sussed out the bract story (trees are not my strong point) but they should drop off leaving the sepals. I cannot see any bracts so assume that they have fallen off.
Am not sure how to interpret any hybrids, other than being intermediate.
Details at the link above.
Compare it with http://ispot.org.za/node/127807 where you can see some bracts falling off the open flowers, the paler flowers, the lighter green leaves with paler undersurfaces, and pointed tips to the leaflets. Even here (Orangekloof Tented Camp) where there were on pines and Forest has been protected and Fynbos allowed to go moribund and be invaded by Forest, I suspect hybrids and am certain that alien Virgilia species and subspecies have been planted.
I am surer than "might" but very very far from "as sure as can be", and if you know V. divaricata well, would appreciate any pointers that might be able to help me improve the ID.
one is (I am) never sure in
one is (I am) never sure in modified areas, specially looking at pics that not necessarily highlight the destinctive characteristics.
Living in an area where two sp occur, i always have dif. id'ing Virgilias. ...so i dont know!
ID of s Cape Virgilia species
Well try the features in the link and see if they make sense!
To summarise, for s Cape:
The Eastern Keurboom (Virgilia divaricata) has small bracts that drop off long before the dark purple flowers open, and leaves only lightly hairy below with a more rounded tip.
The Rusty Western Keurboom (Virgilia oroboides subsp. ferruginea) has large brown bracts that persist until the pale pink flowers open, and with rusty (not white) hairs under the leaf, with pointed leaflets, and rose-violet or violet-purple flowers.
natural area?
These are old pine plantations with extensive plantings of lots of aliens.
Including related species that hybridize with indigenous species.
The Newlands Forest reservoir is one especially well planted area.
Do you have any characters that might influence this proposal?
See http://ispot.org.za/node/127807 for diagnostics.
The odds are that the eastern form of oroboides (subsp. ferruginea - Rusty Western Keurboom) has also been planted here and that there are also lots of hybrids between all three.