coastal red milkwood vs red milkwood

Mimusops caffra compared with Mimusops obovata

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	coastal red milkwood	red milkwood
Kingdom same	Plantae (plantas)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order same	Ericales (Ericales)	Ericales (Ericales)
Family same	Sapotaceae	Sapotaceae
Genus same	Mimusops	Mimusops
Species	Mimusops caffra	Mimusops obovata

Evolutionary Relationship

coastal red milkwood and red milkwood share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Mimusops.

Conservation Status

coastal red milkwood

LC — Least Concern

red milkwood

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	coastal red milkwood	red milkwood
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

coastal red milkwood

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

red milkwood

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

coastal red milkwood

Coastal red milkwood (Mimusops caffra) is an evergreen tree in the family Sapotaceae, native to the coastal dune forests and littoral scrub of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, as well as parts of Mozambique. It grows in coastal dune forest, scrub forest, and the margins of estuarine vegetation, where it tolerates salt-laden winds and sandy, well-drained soils. The tree produces glossy, dark green leaves; small, star-shaped white flowers; and orange to red edible fruits relished by birds, monkeys, and other wildlife. Its wood is dense and durable, historically used in furniture making and construction. Coastal red milkwood is an important component of threatened South African coastal dune forest, a habitat that has been extensively cleared for residential development, forestry, and agriculture along the eastern seaboard. Despite these pressures, the species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. It is frequently planted in coastal gardens and ecological restoration projects for its salt and wind tolerance. The species name commemorates the former name for the region of the Cape of South Africa.