Euclea racemosa L. subsp. schimperi (A.DC.) F. White
Kellaua schimperi A.DC., E. kellau Hochst., E. bilocularis Hiern., E. schimperi (A.DC.) Dandy
Eng.: Sea guarrie tree, dune guarrie tree [the name derives from how it is known in the Khoe language (“qwarrie”) in South Africa]. Ara.: Ogum
Shrub or tree, dioecious (male and female flowers on different plants), sclerophyllous, evergreen, reaching up to 5-6 m in height. Foliage very dense, intricate and compact, so it is used a lot for hedges. Bark grey, finely fissured. Leaves 3-7 × 1-3 cm, simple, green, somewhat dull or greyish, alternate, subopposite, opposite or whorled, coriaceous, obovate to oblanceolate, wider in the upper half, with rounded apex and cuneate base. Margin often undulate and short petiole 1-3 mm. Flowers campanulate, in terminal racemes 2-4.5 cm. Male flowers larger (4-5 mm), with calyx 2 mm, white, with lobed corolla, 10-20 stamens, 2 opposite to corolla lobes and 2 alternate. Filaments shorter than the anthers. Female flowers with a small ovary (4-6 locules), with 2-3 styles and without staminodes. Fruit a globose berry, from red to purple or black when ripe, 5-7 mm and covered with scaly hairs. Seeds 1-2(3), rounded, with 3 longitudinal small ribs that start at the apex. Fruits are edible and are highly valued by birds. From the fruit, the Guarrie vinegar is made.
Flowering:
December to March.
Fruiting:
February to May.
Habitat:
Coastal sandy areas.
Distribution:
Along coastal and subcoastal African regions of the Indian Ocean, from Egypt to South Africa, reaching inland to the eastern part of the Congo Basin and Zimbabwe; also in the Comoros Islands, Yemen and Oman.
Observations:
Due to its wide distribution, from the Cape Province in South Africa to the shores of the Red Sea, numerous subspecies have been described however their status as subspecies is doubtful.
Conservation status:
Common and widespread. Currently, it has not been assessed at a global level in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In the Red List of vascular plants of Egypt (Flora Aegyptiaca Vol 1, 2000) it is listed as “Rare”.