Euclea racemosa

Euclea racemosa
File:Euclea racemosa - Sea Guarrie tree - Cape Town 1.JPG
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Ebenaceae
Genus:	Euclea
Species:	E. racemosa
Binomial name
Euclea racemosa L.

Euclea racemosa (the Sea Guarrie or Dune Guarrie) is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree that is indigenous to the Indian Ocean coast of Africa from Egypt to South Africa, as well as in Comoros, Oman and Yemen.

Euclea racemosa has leathery foliage that can be exceptionally even and dense - making it an ideal plant for hedges. A dioecious tree (male and female flowers on separate trees), it produces small white flowers, which are followed by red, purple and black fruits that attract birds.
The berries are used locally to make "Guarrie vinegar".

The name guarrie appears to derive from the local Khoe language, in which it is spelled gwarri.

Pictures

• Euclea racemosa - Sea Guarrie Tree - flowers 6.JPG

  Detail of inflorescence.

• Euclea racemosa - Sea Guarrie Tree - berries 7.JPG

  The characteristic multi-coloured berries of the Sea Guarrie tree.

• Euclea racemosa - Sea Guarrie Tree - berries 2.JPG

  Detail of berries.

• Euclea racemosa - Dune Guarrie hedge - Cape Town 3.JPG

  Euclea racemosa used for roadside hedging.

• Euclea racemosa - Sea Guarrie hedge - Cape Town 2.JPG

  Rough Euclea racemosa hedging. Cape Town.

Classification

subspecies

1. Euclea racemosa subsp. bernardii F.White - Cape Province
2. Euclea racemosa subsp. daphnoides (Hiern) F.White - Cape Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Limpopo
3. Euclea racemosa subsp. macrophylla (E.Mey. ex A.DC.) F.White - Cape Province, KwaZulu-Natal
4. Euclea racemosa subsp. racemosa - Cape Province
5. Euclea racemosa subsp. schimperi (A.DC.) F.White - most of species range
6. Euclea racemosa subsp. sinuata F.White - Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal
7. Euclea racemosa subsp. zuluensis F.White - Swaziland, Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal