''Capparis fascicularis'', the zigzag caper-bush,Boon, R. (2010). ''Pooley's Trees of Eastern South Africa; A Complete Guide.'' . is a plant in the

Capparaceae The Capparaceae (or Capparidaceae), commonly known as the caper family, are a family of plants in the order Brassicales. As currently circumscribed, the family contains 33 genera and about 700 species. The largest genera are ''Capparis'' (about ...

family and is native to

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

Capparis fascicularis var zeyheri flowers 02 03 2011

Capparis fascicularis var zeyheri old stem 26 02 2011

Taxonomy

This species has multiple synonyms. The species is said to comprise three varieties, but four are listed: *''Capparis fascicularis'' DC. var. ''fascicularis'' (1824) *''Capparis fascicularis'' var. ''zeyheri'' (Turcz.) Toelken (1824) *''Capparis fascicularis'' var. ''elaeagnoides'' (Gilg) DeWolf (1824) *''Capparis fascicularis'' var. ''scheffleri'' (Gilg & Gilg-Ben.) DeWolf (1824)

Distribution and habitat

Occurs from the Eastern Cape of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

, through

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...

Eswatini Eswatini ( ; ss, eSwatini ), officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland ( ; officially renamed in 2018), is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its ...

Mpumalanga Mpumalanga () is a province of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It ...

,Pooley, E. (1993). ''The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei''. .

Limpopo Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature is ...

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Mala ...

and

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

.Flora of Zimbabwe: ''Capparis fascicularis'' DC. var. ''fascicularis'': http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=124440, retrieved 24 February 2011. The range extends further to

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the histori ...

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...

, and across northern

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesGambia The Gambia,, ff, Gammbi, ar, غامبيا officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. It is the smallest country within mainland AfricaHoare, Ben. (2002) ''The Kingfisher A-Z Encyclopedia'', Kingfisher Publicatio ...

.Burkill, H.M. (1985). ''The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol 1''. This species generally occurs in deciduous bushland and thickets, grassland with scattered trees, upland dry evergreen and riverine forest, and sometimes on termite-mounds. Var. ''fascicularis'' is found in dry bushveld or dry deciduous woodland in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini.Hyde, M.A. & Wursten, B. (2011). ''Flora of Zimbabwe'': ''Species information'': ''Capparis fascicularis'' var. ''fascicularis''. http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=124440, retrieved 25 February 2011 Var. ''zeyheri'' is found in forest, bushveld and woodland near the coast in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Var. ''elaeagnoides'' is found in

Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are ...

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The south ...

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constitut ...

, Sudan, Niger, Nigeria,

Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Ma ...

and the Gambia.Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques Ville de Geneve: SANBI African Plant Database: http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/details.php?langue=an&id=12911, retrieved 25 February 2011.

Description

A scrambling shrub or climber, usually with hooked spines on the stem. Two varieties are known in South Africa; var. ''fascicularis'' (zigzag caper-bush) and var. ''zeyheri'' (coast zigzag caper-bush). The most notable difference between these two varieties is that var. ''fascicularis'' has indented (notched) leaf-tips whereas var. ''zeyheri'' has pointed leaf-tips. The spines on the coast zigzag caper-bush are usually reduced or absent. The fragrant flowers are whitish and produced on leafless side branchlets which resemble spikes or racemes.Hyde, M.A. & Wursten, B. (2011). ''Flora of Mozambique: Species information'': Capparis fascicularis var. fascicularis''. http://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=124440, retrieved 2 March 2011 The fruit are spherical and 6–15 mm in diameter, ripening to purple-black.

Human uses

The leaves are sold as food in markets of northern Nigeria.

Ecological significance

''Capparis fascicularis'' is the larval foodplant of the butterflies ''

Belenois creona ''Belenois creona'', the African common white or African caper, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in the Afrotropical realm. Description The wingspan is 40–45 mm. The sexes are dimorphic. Males Uppersides are white ...

'' and '' Eronia cleodora''.Williams, M. (1994). ''Butterflies of Southern Africa; A Field Guide''. .

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5036119 fascicularis Taxa named by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle