images of flora from nature or of specimens, family Cucurbitaceae . There are some difficulties involving determinations of wild melons with protrusions (horns), Cucumis pustulatus/metuliferus/prophetarum. Cultivated spp. are Lagenaria (gourd, calabash), Citrullus lanatus (watermelon), and Cucurbita (squash/pumpkin).
images of flora from nature or of specimens, family Cyperaceae. Only a few of the many sedge spp. are of interest to people in central Mali: Cyperus articulatus (aromatic tubers), Cyperus esculentus (commercialized edible tubers, "pois sucrés"), Cyperus maculatus (rootstocks burned as incense), Cyperus rotundus (edible tubers, not very good and not commercialized).
Documentary videos of pressing oil from seeds of native plants. Credits are at the end of videos. Additional documentaries from Mali may be added later.
Documentary videos of pottery making, notably a four-part documentary of one potter's work. Credits are at the end of videos. Additional documentaries from Mali may be added later.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Euphorbiaceae. Euphorbia sudanica may include the very similar Euphorbia paganorum. Manihot is cultivated cassava. Euphorbia balsamifera is planted along roads. The two Jatropha's (of American origin) and Ricinus are planted in villages. See also Phyllanthaceae, which were moved out of Euphorbiaceae.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Fabaceae (legumes), subfamily Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade, former Acacia spp. (sensu lato). The acacias were split in 2011 into several genera: African acacias were assigned to Faidherbia, Senegalia, and Vachellia. Acacia (sensu stricto) was delimited to Australia (due to strong-arming from the Australian timber industry), even though the type species was Acacia (now Vachellia) nilotica. Acacia ehrenbergiana was renamed Vachellia flava, in other cases the species epithet did not change when the genus changed. Many botanists continue to use Acacia for the entire complex, others recognize Faidherbia but retain Acacia for Senegalia and Vachellia. By strict botanical rules, Acacia should be limited to "Vachellia".
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Fabaceae (legumes), subfamily Caesalpinioideae, excluding mimosoids (e.g. acacias). The genus Cassia has been divided into Cassia (sensu stricto), Chamaecrista, and Senna.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, genera T to Z. Vigna unguiculata is cultivated cowpea (the local "beans"). Vigna subterranea (ex Vouandzeia) is cultivated groundnut (resembles peanut but harder).
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of plants of the family Hernandiaceae. Genus Gyrocarpus, the only one present in the zone, is sometimes placed in its own family Gyrocarpaceae.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Hydrocharitaceae. Included is genus Najas, which is sometimes elevated to family status (Najadaceae). Najas spp. are difficult for a nonspecialist to distinguish from each other and from Lagarosiphon. Ottelia is easily recognized.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Lami.aceae (synonym Labiatae). Leucas and Leonotis genera overlap and may be merged. Gmelina and Vitex have been transferreed to Lamiaceae from Verbenaceae but are still listed as Verbenaceae in some websites.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Lauraceae. Cassytha is a native plant. Laurus nobilis (a kind of bay leaf) is an imported dried leaf used as a spice especially in Songhay cuisine.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Loranthaceae (mistletoe). Englerina has yellow flowers. Tapinanthus spp. have red flowers and are difficult to distinguish from each other. Tapinanthus bangwensis is the common species in Central Mali.
images of plants, in nature and specimens, of family Lythraceae. Lawsonia is the henna bush, planted in towns. Henna is a dark pigment used in body decorations, especially hands and feet.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Malphighiaceae. The family is represented in rocky areas of Central Mali by Acridocarpus monodii, which is endemic to Mali and has become rare (and threatened).
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Malvaceae, genera A to G. Malvaceae (sensu lato) now includes former Bombacaceae (Adansonia, Ceiba, Bombax), Tiliaceae (Grewia, Corchorus, Triumfetta), and Sterculiaceae (Cola, Sterculia, Waltheria).
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Malvaceae, genus Hibiscus. H. sabdariffa (roselle) is cultivated. H. esculentus (okra) is not widely cultivated in this zone. Of native species, H. micranthus can be confused with H. pseudohirtus.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Malvaceae, genera I to Z. Malvaceae (sensu lato) now includes former Bombacaceae (Adansonia, Ceiba, Bombax), Tiliaceae (Grewia, Corchorus, Triumfetta), and Sterculiaceae (Cola, Sterculia, Waltheria).
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of the family Meliaceae. Azadirachta (neem tree) is nonnative but is planted everywhere in Malian villages and cities. Khaya ("caïlcédrat") was formerly the boulevard tree of preference in cities in the colonial period; it is native to West Africa but occurs in the wild mainly farther south.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of the family Molluginaceae. The common species in Central Mali are Mollugo nudicaulis (from which a spontaneous "soap" can be made) and Glinus lotoides. See also Aizoaceae (Trianthema, Zaleya), Gisekiaceae (Gisekia), and Limeaceae (Limeus). These families have been combined in various ways in previous classifications.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Moringaceae. The local species is Moringa oleracea, planted here and there in villages chiefly for the foliage which is made into a sauce.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Myrtaceae. Syzygium is the local native species and is featured here. Syzygium is rare in Central Mali but was found on the summit of Gandamiya mountain near Douentza. It is common farther south. The family also includes guava, clove, and eucalyptus.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Nyctaginaceae. The genus Boerhavia has been revised since our collecting began and it is best to consider all of these images to be "Boerhavia sp.", though mostly B. coccinea.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Nymphaeaceae (true water lilies, compare Menyanthaceae). Nymphaea lotus is the largest species and has distinctive dentate leaf margins. N. maculata and N. micrantha are smaller; N. maculata has roughly circular leaves, while N. micrantha has more oval-shaped leaves and usually a tuft of hairs on top of the leaf next to the stem axis.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Onagraceae. The local genus is Ludwigia. L. hyssopifolia and L. erecta are the two species known in Central Mali away from the main rivers (where other spp. are also found).
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Orobanchaceae. The local species is Striga hermonthica, a root parasite of millet and other crop plants. The family (like Plantaginaceae) was recently separated from Scrophulariaceae, but family-level taxonomy remains controversial.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Phyllanthaceae. Phyllanthus spp. and Flueggea occur wild in Central Mali. This family was formerly included in Euphorbiaceae.
images of plants, in nature or specimens, of family Plantaginaceae (sometimes called Veronicaceae). This family was recently separated from Scrophulariaceae (sensu lato), and taxonomy of these families remains unstable. Scoparia is an important medicinal plant.