Gardenia volkensii subsp. volkensii fruit

The fruit of Gardenia volkensii subsp. volkensii shown here is larger, whiter, more coarsely ribbed and with more conspicuous lenticels (dots) on the surface than G. volkensii subsp. spatulifolia. The latter subspecies is smaller with less distinct ribbing and smaller lenticels.

Subsp. volkensii subsp. volkensii has a large distribution, ranging from KwaZulu-Natal to North West and across tropical Africa to Ethiopia. The differences between the two subspecies are more fruit than flower related (Schmidt, et al, 2002; Coates Palgrave, 2002).