Cassine orientalis
Cassine orientalis | |
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Young Cassine orientalis tree on Reunion island | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Eudicots |
(unranked): | Rosids |
Order: | Celastrales |
Family: | Celastraceae |
Genus: | Cassine |
Species: | C. orientalis |
Binomial name | |
Cassine orientalis L. | |
Cassine orientalis (known locally as "Bois d'Olive") is a tall canopy tree endemic to the Mascarene islands of Mauritius, Reunion and Rodrigues.
In its native islands the tree has been severely over-exploited for its valuable reddish wood. Adults reach up to 20 meters in height. The fruits resemble small olives, from which the local name derives.[1]
Juveniles have shiny narrow leaves with a bright red mid-rib and smooth edges; while adult leave are wide and oval with a serrated margin.
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Foliage of a young tree
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Foliage of an adult
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References
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, September 15, 2014. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.