Chaetachme Explained

Chaetachme is a monotypic genus of flowering plants native to eastern and western Africa, including Madagascar,[1] containing the single species Chaetachme aristata. Its English common name is thorny elm,[2] and it is known as muyuyu in Kikuyu.[3] Traditionally placed in the Elm family, it is more recently placed in the family Cannabaceae, thought to be possibly closely related to Celtis.

Chaetachme aristata is a shrub or small tree growing up to 10 meters tall. It has drooping, angular branches covered with spines up to 3.5 centimeters in length. The lance-shaped leaves are up to 11 centimeters long by 5 centimeters wide, pointed at the tip and smooth or serrated on the edges. The shrub is dioecious and sexually dimorphic, with male and female flower types borne on separate individuals,[1] [4] although it may also be monoecious.[5]

This shrub is host to the mirid bug Volumnus chaetacme.[6]

The spiny branches of the shrub are used as fences in African villages.[3] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: JSTOR Global Plants: Search Results. plants.jstor.org. en. 2017-08-01.
  2. http://www.safaripatrol.com/species_trees.shtml Trees & Shrubs of East Africa.
  3. Web site: Glossary. www.fao.org. 2017-08-01.
  4. http://celp.org.uk/webpages/projects/ecology/forest%20reserves/pdf/Arusha.pdf Arusha Region.
  5. 10.12705/623.9. Molecular phylogenetics and character evolution of Cannabaceae. 2013. Yang. Mei-Qing. Van Velzen. Robin. Bakker. Freek T.. Sattarian. Ali. Li. De-Zhu. Yi. Ting-Shuang. Taxon. 62. 3. 473–485.
  6. Linnavuori, R. (1996). Taxonomic studies of the Miridae (Heteroptera) of Africa and the Middle East. Acta Universitatis Carolinae Biologica 40 321-50.
  7. Bussmann, R. W., et al. (2006). Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2 22.