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Persea (avocado genus)
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > magnoliids > Order: Laurales > Family: Lauraceae
About 150 species worldwide (tropics). Two species are
cultivated in this region, including the well-known Avocado Persea
americana, which has become naturalised in Zimbabwe.
Species naturalised in southern Africa
List from
Flora of Zimbabwe.
Persea americana (Avocado) Native to Central and South America and
domesticated by 500 BC. The name 'Avocado' and comes from the Aztec name
meaning 'testicle tree'. |
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Species cultivated in southern Africa
List from Glen (2002).
Persea borbonia (Red bay)
Native to the SE USA. |
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Publications
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