Sclerocroton integerrimus, the Duiker Berry, is a tree in the Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbiaceae, the Spurge family are a large family of flowering plants with 300 genera and around 7,500 species. Most are herbs, but some, especially in the tropics, are also shrubs or trees. Some are succulent and resemble cacti....

 family, from Southern Africa

Southern Africa

Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...

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Taxonomy

This species was originally named as two species; Sclerocroton integerrimus Hochst. (1845) and S. reticulatus Hochst. (1845). When Sclerocroton integerrimus was united for the first time, Baillon (in Adansonia 3: 162. 1863) adopted the name Stillingia integerrima (Hochst.) Baill. for the combined taxon.

This tree has also been named Sapium integerrimum; with most literature referring to it by this name (2010).

Distribution

Found from the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....

, South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, to Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

 and Botswana

Botswana

Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

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Stem and branches

Single or multi-stemmed, with smooth pale grey bark, and arching, weeping branches. The branchlets are reddish-brown, later becoming grey-brown in colour.

Leaves

The leaves are alternate, shiny and dark-green above, and paler beneath. The leaves are ovate-lanceolate to ovate-oblong in shape, with entire or shallowly serrated leaf margins. The leaf petioles are 3–5 mm long, and the leaf blades 20–100 mm long and 10–50 mm wide.

Flowers

Small yellowish flowers are produced on terminal spikes. The flowers are either all male or with 1 female flower at the base of the spike.

Fruit

The fruit is a 3-lobed capsule up to 25 mm in diameter. The fruit opens by splitting into three roughly circular parts, with each of the 6 valves bearing a shortly-conical appendage (horn) 2 mm long. When ripe; the fruit are green or coppery in colour, and leathery in texture. Each of the cocci bears one seed enclosed in a 2 mm thick woody endocarp. The seeds are 7 × 5 mm in size, ovoid-ellipsoid in shape, smooth surfaced, and dull, pale greyish-brown flecked and spotted with darker brown.

Uses

The leaves are used in traditional medicine as a mouth wash and to treat toothache. The fruit have been used to make black ink and for tanning, and the wood has been used to make furniture and for hut building. The fruit are eaten by livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

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Ecological significance

This is one of the larval food plants for two species of butterfly; Sevenia boisduvali

Sevenia boisduvali

Sevenia boisduvali is a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family, and commonly known as Boisduval’s Tree Nymph. There are four subspecies; all native to Africa.-Description:The following is a description for Sevenia boisduvali boisduvali:...

and Sevenia natalensis

Sevenia natalensis

The Natal Tree Nymph is a butterfly in the Nymphalidae family found in southeastern Africa.Wingspan: 40–48 mm.Flight period year-round, peaking between February and May....

. The leaves are also eaten by Bushbuck

Bushbuck

The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland. Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck, is in fact a complex of two geographically and phenotypically...

 and Red Duiker. The fruit are eaten by antelope

Antelope

Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...

, and birds such as Crowned Hornbill

Crowned Hornbill

The Crowned Hornbill, Tockus alboterminatus, is an African hornbill. It is a medium-sized bird, with a length between 50 and 54 cm, and it is characterized by its white belly and black back and wings. The tips of the long tail feathers are white. The eyes are yellow; the beak is red and...

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