Clutia abyssinica Jaub. & Spach.
var. abyssinica

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (20)

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Leopard Rock Game Reserve, Vumba.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Leopard Rock Game Reserve, Vumba.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Leopard Rock Game Reserve, Vumba.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Leopard Rock Game Reserve, Vumba.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Leopard Rock Game Reserve, Vumba.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Tava Marsh, Moribane Forest.

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

Photo: Bart Wursten
Kaperepeza road, Nyika National Park

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Clutia glabrescens Knauf ex Pax
Common names: Large, or Smooth-fruited lightning-bush (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:
Shrub or rarely a small tree, up to c. 4 m. Leaves ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, up to 16 cm long, fairly thinly textured, light green above, somewhat blue-green below, mostly hairless (in var. abyssinica), some orange-red leaves often present; margin entire. Flowers in axillary clusters, small, yellowish to greenish, unisexual on different trees. Fruit c. 5 mm in diameter, almost round, almost hairless, pale green with whitish pustules. This variety has hairless or almost hairless stems and leaves.
Type location:
Ethiopia
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: abyssinica: of Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
Habitat:
Altitude range: (metres)
Flowering time:Mar - Jul
Worldwide distribution: Sudan and Somalia southwards to Angola and South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal).
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Literature:

Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 144. (Includes a picture).

Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 434. (Includes a picture).

Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 14.

Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 28. As Clutia abbyssinica

Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 252. As Clutia abyssinica

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 41.

Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 185.

Radcliffe-Smith, A. (1996). Euphorbiaceae Flora Zambesiaca 9(4) Pages 125 - 127. (Includes a picture).

Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 85.

Troupin, G. (1983). Euphorbiaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume II Page 212. (Includes a picture).

Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 97.


Other sources of information about Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica
Flora of Mozambique: Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica
Flora of Rwanda: Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica
Flora of Zambia: Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica
Flora of Zimbabwe: Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Clutia abyssinica
African Plant Database: Clutia abyssinica
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Clutia abyssinica
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Clutia abyssinica
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Clutia abyssinica
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Clutia abyssinica
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Clutia abyssinica
JSTOR Plant Science: Clutia abyssinica
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Clutia abyssinica
Plants of the World Online: Clutia abyssinica
Tropicos: Clutia abyssinica
Wikipedia: Clutia abyssinica


Copyright: The Burundi flora team, 2024-26

The Burundi flora team (2026). Flora of Burundi: Species information: Clutia abyssinica var. abyssinica.
https://www.burundiflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=135540, retrieved 18 February 2026

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