Myrsine melanophloeos

Cape beech
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Ericales
Family:	Primulaceae
Genus:	Myrsine
Species:	M. melanophloeos
Binomial name
	Myrsine melanophloeos; (L.) R.Br. ex Sweet (1818)
Synonyms
	Synonymy Chrysophyllum millerianum Lam. (1794) ; Chrysophyllum melanophoeos (L.) Lam. (1794) ; Heeria melanophloeos (L.) Meisn. (1844) ; Manglilla melanophloeos (L.) Pers. (1805) ; Manglilla venulosa Roem. & Schult. (1819) ; Myrsine neurophylla Gilg. (1894) ; Myrsine pentandr (Aiton) R.Br. ex B.D.Jacks. (1894) ; Myrsine rhododendroides Gilg (1894) ; Myrsine runssorica Gilg (1895) ; Myrsine samara R.Br. ex Sweet (1818), nom. superfl. ; Myrsine simensis Hochst. ex A.DC. (1844) ; Myrsine ulugurensis (Mez) Gilg ex Prain (1908) ; Myrsine venulosa Spreng. (1824) ; Rapanea bequaertii De Wild. (1925) ; Rapanea gracilior Mildbr. (1934) ; Rapanea lamiaensis De Wild. (1925) ; Rapanea melanophloeos (L.) Mez (1902) ; Rapanea neurophylla (Gilg) Mez (1902) ; Rapanea pulchra Gilg & G.Schellenb. (1912) ; Rapanea rhododendroides (Gilg) Mez (1902) ; Rapanea runssorica (Gilg) Mez (1902) ; Rapanea schliebenii Mildbr. (1934) ; Rapanea simensis (Hochst. ex A.DC.) Mez (1902) ; Rapanea thomensis Exell (1944) ; Rapanea ulugurensis Mez (1902) ; Rapanea umbratilis S.Moore (1911) ; Rapanea usambarensis Gilg & G.Schellenb. (1912) ; Roemeria melanophloeos (L.) Thunb. (1798) ; Samara pentandra Aiton (1789) ; Scleroxylum venulosum Willd. (1809) ; Sideroxylon laurifolium Lam. (1783) ; Sideroxylon melanophloeos L. (1767) ;

Myrsine melanophloeos, commonly known as Cape beech, Kaapse boekenhout (Afrikaans), isiCalabi (Zulu) or isiQwane sehlati (Xhosa)^[2] is a dense evergreen tree that is native to the afromontane forests of Africa, ranging from Nigeria and Sudan to South Africa.^[1] Outside forests they are also commonly encountered along stream banks and in gullies.

Despite its common name, it is not a close relative of the familiar beech tree of the northern hemisphere, and it is actually more closely related to the Rhododendrons; it comes from the beech-like grain of its wood. The Xhosa name isiQwane sehlati meaning "forest protea" comes from the tree's leaves bunching like a protea (isiQwane) flower.^[2]^[3]

^ ^a ^b Myrsine melanophloeos (L.) R.Br. ex Sweet. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
^ ^a ^b "Rapanea melanophloeos". PlantZAfrica. South African National Biodiversity Institute. April 2005. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
^ Johnson, Colin T. (17 October 1990). "A preliminary checklist of Xhosa names for trees growing in Transkei". Bothalia. 20 (2): 149. doi:10.4102/abc.v20i2.908.

[powo-1] Myrsine melanophloeos (L.) R.Br. ex Sweet. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 4 October 2023.

[pza-2] "Rapanea melanophloeos". PlantZAfrica. South African National Biodiversity Institute. April 2005. Retrieved 4 August 2017.

[3] Johnson, Colin T. (17 October 1990). "A preliminary checklist of Xhosa names for trees growing in Transkei". Bothalia. 20 (2): 149. doi:10.4102/abc.v20i2.908.

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