Identifying trees in Southern Africa can be a rewarding experience, whether you are a botanist, a conservationist, or simply an admirer of nature. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of various tree species found in the region, their characteristics, uses, and the importance of their conservation.
Map of Southern Africa
Understanding Indigenous Trees
The notion of 'indigenous' is of necessity a blurred concept, and is clearly a function of both time and political boundaries.
Key Tree Species in Southern Africa
Southern Africa boasts a rich diversity of tree species, each with unique characteristics and ecological roles. Here are some notable examples:
- Cyathea capensis (L.f.) J.E. Sm.: A tree fern species.
- Cyathea dregei Kunze: Also known as Alsophila dregei (Kunze) R.M.
- Encephalartos cupidus R.A.: A cycad species.
- Podocarpus latifolius (Thunb.) R.Br.: A conifer species.
- Welwitschia mirabilis Hook.f.: An iconic plant of the Namib Desert.
- Hyphaene coriacea Gaertn.: A palm species.
- Aloe arborescens Mill.: A well known aloe species.
- Ficus abutilifolia (Miq.) Miq.: A fig tree species.
- Protea aurea (Burm.f.) L.: A protea species.
- Leucadendron argenteum (L.) R.Br.: A leucadendron species.
- Ximenia americana var. microphylla Welw. ex Oliv.: A sourplum species.
- Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W.F. Wight: A flat-crown species.
- Acacia erioloba E. Mey.: A camel thorn species.
- Colophospermum mopane (Kirk ex Benth.) Kirk ex J. Léonard: A mopane species.
- Schotia brachypetala Sond.: A boer-bean species.
- Erythrina latissima E. Mey.: A broad-leaved coral tree species.
- Balanites angolensis (Welw.) Mildbr.: A desert date species.
- Zanthoxylum capense (Thunb.) Harv.: A small tree species.
- Ekebergia capensis Sparrm.: A cape ash species.
- Euphorbia confinalis R.A. Dyer: A euphorbia species.
This list represents a small fraction of the diverse tree species found in Southern Africa. Each species plays a unique role in its ecosystem, providing habitat, food, and other resources for wildlife.
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Medicinal Plants of Southern Africa E05: Warburgia salutaris/Pepperbark tree/Muranga
TheTreeApp SA: A Digital Field Guide
For those looking for a modern approach to tree identification, TheTreeApp SA offers a powerful, rapid, and highly intuitive tool. Here are some key features:
- Species Descriptions: Full details on each species, including uses and gardening information.
- Tree Search Function: Match the characteristics of your tree to those in the app.
- Education System: InfoHotSpots provide explanations for any unclear details.
- Language Options: Choose from Scientific, English, or Afrikaans.
- Sightings Function: Add and list your own tree discoveries.
- Two-in-One App: Includes both Original (simple English terms) and Botanical (classical Botanical terms) versions.
TheTreeApp SA is an invaluable resource for both novice and experienced tree enthusiasts.
The Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa
The Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa (1997) by Braam van Wyk and Piet van Wyk is the penultimate reference guide to over 1,000 species of trees and shrubs in Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, and nearby regions. This 536-page book covers roughly 50% of Southern Africa's estimated 2,100 tree species and presents a comprehensive look at the characteristics and features of trees and their leaves, fruit, bark, and wood.
Key Features of the Field Guide:
- Comprehensive Coverage: Detailed information on appearance, occurrence, size, shape, and number of pinna and leaflets.
- Traditional Uses: Insights into traditional or current uses such as medicine and firewood.
- Hybridization Information: Details on whether the tree can hybridize with other species.
- Visual Aids: A glossary of terms along with black-and-white illustrations and color photos of leaf features.
The Field Guide is an excellent resource for those seeking in-depth knowledge about Southern African trees, focusing on identification and detailed characteristics.
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The Importance of Trees in Agriculture and Conservation
Trees play a crucial role in agriculture and conservation efforts in Southern Africa. Here are some examples:
- Faidherbia albida: Ideal for intercropping with cereal crops, enhancing maize yields.
- Acacia species: Used for catchment conservation in farming communities.
- Gliricidia: A fast-growing, multipurpose tree.
- Neem: Provides medicinal benefits, food, and acts as an insecticide.
- Acacia Senegal: Grows in semi-arid areas, supporting beekeeping projects.
- Silky Oak: Planted as a boundary tree and for soil conservation.
- Moringa: Drought-resistant, with seeds used for oil in various products.
- Casuarina: Improves land through nitrogen fixation.
- Umbrella Thorn: Drought-tolerant, provides edible gum, medicine, fodder, and shade.
- Albizia lebbeck: Used for shading crops, shelterbelts, and nitrogen provision.
- Cashew: Drought-resistant, with valuable nuts and apples for export and consumption.
- Balanites: Produces fruit in dry times, controlling parasites like Bilharzia.
- Shea Nut: Important for women in West Africa, producing butter used in cooking and cosmetics.
- Macadamia: Produces oil-rich nuts used in cooking and cosmetics.
- African Olive: Hardy, excellent fodder tree for livestock.
- Calliandra: Produces nitrogen, rehabilitates erosion-prone areas, and provides unique honey.
- Riverhemp: Flowers used for decoration and leaves with antibiotic properties.
- Leucaena leucocephala: Fast-growing, produces nitrogen, and has edible pods.
These trees not only support agricultural productivity but also contribute to the overall health and resilience of ecosystems.
Specific Tree Species and Their Uses
Here are some specific tree species and their uses:
- Jacaranda mimosifolia: Known for its beautiful flowers, attracts bees, and has medicinal value.
- Terminalia sericea: Provides shade, has purplish bark, and grows in wooded grasslands.
- Dodonaea viscosa var. angustifolia: Drought and wind-resistant, provides bird nesting sites, and attracts butterflies.
- Siamese Senna: Medium-size, evergreen tree with distinctive yellow flowers.
- Protea welwitschia: Survives wildfires, re-sprouts from underground boles, and is considered a landscape conservation species.
- Carica papaya: Provides fruit, vegetables, and papain for various industries.
- Alder: Timber used for building bridges, coffins, furniture, and plywood.
- Sudan Teak: Timber used for flooring, high-quality furniture, and beehives.
- Croton: Produces inedible nuts for biofuels and seed cake for animal feed.
- Cypress: Popular for timber, building poles, and paper pulp.
- Musizi: Fast-growing, used in plantations as an alternative to pines and cypress.
- Markhamia: Fast-growing, with growth rates of more than 2 m/year.
- African Teak: Produces strong, dense, and durable hardwood timber.
- Podocarpus: Source of a chemotherapy drug used in leukemia treatment.
- Terminalia: Fast-growing softwoods used for crop shade and restoring natural forests.
- Meru Oak: Produces beautiful and durable wood, though now rare due to over-exploitation.
- Ugandan Greenheart: Strong and insect-resistant wood, leaves used for flavoring food.
- Red Mangrove: Creates and preserves shorelines, with seeds germinating while on the tree.
Field Guides and Resources
Several field guides and resources are available to aid in the identification of Southern African trees. These include:
- The Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa: A comprehensive guide covering approximately 900 species with detailed descriptions and photographs.
- Photo Guide to Trees of Southern Africa: A concise guide focused on features and uses with updated maps for tree species distribution.
- Pocket Guide to Trees of Southern Africa: A more portable guide covering 132 species.
These resources provide valuable information for identifying trees in the field and understanding their ecological roles.
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The Relationship Between Trees and Wildlife
Of particular interest to everyone visiting or living in Africa is the relationship that trees have with their surroundings, especially the wildlife that may depend upon them for shelter, food, and who ultimately share the same ecosystem and resources.
Botanists and zoologists will be interested in the details for some tree species relating to which wildlife species utilize the tree for pollination, food, shelter, and mating. However self-guided safari tourists will probably find the Photo Guide's material more than adequate and is a more portable and accessible format.
Trees and Wildlife
Subspecies and Varieties
Many trees have subspecies and varieties, which add to the complexity of identification. Here are some examples:
| Species | Subspecies/Variety |
|---|---|
| Adenia fruticosa | ssp. simplicifolia ssp. wightii |
| Aloe marlothii | ssp. marlothii ssp. orientalis |
| Bauhinia petersiana | ssp. macrantha ssp. serpae |
| Boscia foetida | ssp. foetida ssp. rehmanniana ssp. filipes |
| Cassine peragua | ssp. peragua ssp. barbara ssp. affinis |
| Chionanthus foveolatus | ssp. foveolatus ssp. tomentellus ssp. major |
| Combretum collinum | ssp. collinum ssp. gazense ssp. ondongense ssp. suluense |
| Crassula arborescens | ssp. arborescens ssp. undulatifolia |
| Cussonia paniculata | ssp. paniculata ssp. sinuata |
| Dichrostachys cinerea | ssp. cinerea ssp. africana |
| Diospyros lycioides | ssp. lycioides ssp. guerkei ssp. sericea |
| Diospyros natalensis | ssp. natalensis ssp. nummularia |
| Dodonaea viscosa | ssp. viscosa ssp. angustifolia ssp. burmanniana |
| Ehretia namibiensis | ssp. namibiensis ssp. glandulosa |
| Ehretia rigida | ssp. rigida ssp. erythroxyloides ssp. obtusifolia |
| Empogona kirkii | ssp. kirkii ssp. volkensii |
| Euclea crispa | ssp. crispa ssp. linearis |
| Euclea natalensis | ssp. natalensis ssp. angustifolia ssp. acutifolia ssp. magutensis ssp. rotundifolia ssp. obovata |
| Euclea racemosa | ssp. racemosa ssp. daphnoides ssp. schimperi ssp. zambesiaca |
| Eugenia capensis | ssp. capensis ssp. zeyheri |
| Ficus natalensis | ssp. natalensis ssp. graniticola |
| Ficus sycomorus | ssp. sycomorus ssp. gnaphalocarpa |
| Gardenia volkensii | ssp. volkensii ssp. saundersi |
| Gymnosporia linearis | ssp. linearis ssp. lanceolata |
| Gymnosporia polyacantha | ssp. polyacantha ssp. longipedicellata |
| Leucadendron uliginosum | ssp. uliginosum ssp. glabrum |
| Leucospermum conocarpodendron | ssp. conocarpodendron ssp. viridum |
| Maerua juncea | ssp. juncea ssp. crustata |
| Monodora junodii | var. junodii ssp. macrantha |
| Mystroxylon aethiopicum | ssp. aethiopicum ssp. schlechteri ssp. burkeanum |
| Olea capensis | ssp. capensis ssp. macrocarpa ssp. enervis |
| Oxyanthus speciosus | ssp. speciosus ssp. gerrardii |
| Passerina filiformis | ssp. filiformis ssp. ericoides |
| Pavetta capensis | ssp. capensis ssp. komghensis |
| Protea aurea | ssp. aurea ssp. potbergensis |
| Protea afra | ssp. afra ssp. montana |
| Psydrax obovata | ssp. obovata ssp. elliptica |
| Rhoicissus tridentata | ssp. tridentata ssp. cuneifolia |
| Rhynchosia clivorum | ssp. clivorum ssp. floribunda |
| Rothmannia fischeri | ssp. fischeri ssp. morambica |
| Salix mucronata | ssp. mucronata ssp. capensis ssp. wilmsii ssp. woodii |
| Syzygium guineense | ssp. guineense ssp. barotsense |
| Vachellia hebeclada | ssp. hebeclada ssp. chobiensis ssp. tristis |
| Vachellia robusta | ssp. robusta ssp. clavigera |
| Virgilia oroboides | ssp. oroboides ssp. ferruginea |
| Vitex obovata | ssp. obovata ssp. wilmsii |
Identifying these variations often requires detailed examination and expert knowledge.
Southern Africa's trees are a vital part of its natural heritage. By understanding their characteristics, uses, and ecological roles, we can better appreciate and conserve these valuable resources for future generations.
