Vangueria infausta subsp. infausta
Author: Ivan Lätti
Photographer: Botanical art by Barbara Pretorius
Vangueria infausta subsp. infausta, the wild medlar or mispel in Afrikaans is a deciduous or semi-deciduous shrub or small tree of 1 m to 8 m (SA Tree List No. 702).
The infausta specific and subspecific name refers to an ancient belief of purported magical properties of the tree, not widely given credence, even remembered today.
The subspecies distribution is widespread in the north-east of South Africa, in KwaZulu-Natal and north of the Vaal River. The tree is common in Zimbabwe, the east and north of Botswana, the north of Namibia and further in tropical Africa.
The habitat is bushveld, open woodland and grassland among rocks; also in coastal scrub. The subspecies is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Coates Palgrave, 2002; www.redlist.sanbi.org).