Acridocarpus natalitius

Acridocarpus natalitius
A. natalitius at Kew Gardens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malpighiales
Family: Malpighiaceae
Genus: Acridocarpus
Species: A. natalitius
Binomial name
Acridocarpus natalitius
Adr. & Juss. var. natalitius

Adr. & Juss. var. linearifolius Launert

The Moth fruit (Acridocarpus natalitius) is a species of plant in the Malpighiaceae family. It is found in south-eastern Africa, where it ranges from Pondoland to Limpopo in South Africa, and eastwards to Swaziland and Mozambique. It is critically endangered in eastern Zimbabwe.

It is the southernmost species of its genus, and occurs in subtropical dry forests to subtropical dry shrubland. The flowers are visited by ants and bees. The samara fruit appear in summer, each with two to three veined wings, which remind of a moth with opened wings. It is a host plant for skipper butterflies.

Skipper larva on leaf
 
Flowers and young fruit
 
Green fruit
 

References

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