Vicky was our raffle winner from the San Antonio Texas Trophy Hunters show
Vicky and Troy visited us from 10 June to 18 June 2009. To their surprise they had to extend their hunting trip, as they were not aware of all the beautiful animals to be hunted. They had a great experience and shot the following: Waterbuck, Impala, Gemsbuck, Nyala, Rooihartebeest, Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Bush pig, Warthog and sable. |
ACACIA XANTHOPLOEA BENTH:
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Family: Fabaceae: Mimosoideae
Common Naes: Fever tree (English), Koorsboom (Afrikaans), mooka-kwena (Northern Sotho), umHlosinga
(Zulu), nkelenga (Tsonga), munzhelenga (Venda). : |
The fever tree is an attractive, semi-deciduous to deciduous tree approximately 15 to 25 meters tall and has an open, rounded to spreading or flattish crown which is sparsely foliated. The characteristic, almost luminous, lime green to greenish-yellow bark is smooth, slightly flaking, and coated in a yellow powdery substance described by some as sulphurous. If the powdery surface is rubbed away with the finger it will reveal a green bark beneath. Young twigs have a red-brown bark which peels off leaving the twigs sulphur yellow. The long straight white thorns are arranged in pairs and although they are very significant on young trees they often become barely noticeable on mature specimens.
Bright yellow, golden, ball-like flowers which are sweetly scented are borne in clusters on shortened side shoots at the nodes and towards the ends of branches. Flowering occurs from August or September to November. Flowers are followed by the production of yellowish- brown to brown pods which split open to reveal the small hard brown seeds, which may be harvested from January to April.
The genus name Acacia is derived from the greek word acantha meaning spine, thorn or prickle and the species name xanthophloea is derived from the greek words xanthos meaning yellow and phloios meaning bark.
The fever tree occurs mainly in depressions and shallow pans where underground water is present or surface water collects after summer rains. It is also found in low-lying swampy areas, along the margins of lakes and on river banks. It often forms pure, dense stands of closed woodland in seasonally flooded areas on alluvial soils. This tree can be found from Kenya in the north to KwaZulu Natal in the south. It is a prominent feature in the lowveld region of South Africa.
This tree is popular amongst birds for nest building as the thorns add extra protection against predators such as snakes. Young branches and leaves are eaten by elephant and the leaves and pods are eaten by giraffe and vervet monkeys. Monkeys and grey louries also eat the flowers. The gum and green seeds are eaten by baboons. Insects such as bees are attracted by the yellow colour and sweet scent of the flowers and perform a pollination role.
The wood is hard, heavy and a suitable general purpose timber but it should be seasoned before use otherwise it is likely to crack. The main stems and larger branches are used to fence out hippo from fields on the Pongola floodplain and the timber is reputed to be used for boxwood. Medicinally the bark is used for treating fevers and eye complaints.
Early pioneers thought that this tree caused a fever since people travelling or living in the areas where it grew contracted a bad fever. They therefore associated the fever with the tree. This however was erroneous as the swampy places where fever trees grow are also ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which carry malaria. Thus through these early settlers the myth was born and the plant acquired its name as the fever tree
References
- Coates Palgrave, K. 1983 Trees of Southern Africa. Struik: Cape Town.
- Johhson, D. & Johnson S.1993 Gardening with Indigenous Trees and Shrubs. Southern Book Publishers (Pty) Ltd.
- Smit, N. 1999 Guide to the Acacias of South Africa. Briza: Pretoria
- Pooley. E 1993. The complete field guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand & Transkei. Natal FloraPublications Trust: Durban.
- Trendler, R. & Hes, L. 1994. Attracting Birds to your Garden in southern Africa. Struik Publishers (Pty)Ltd.: Cape Town.
- Venter, F & Venter J. 1985 Making the Most of Indigenous Trees. Briza Publications:Pretoria.
- Van Wyk, B, & van Wyk, P. 1997 Field Guide to Trees of Southern Africa. Struik: Cape Town.
Andrew Hankey & Marc Stern
Witwatersrand National Botanical Garden
March 2002
The slow walk to hunger: Margaret Straub |
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With slow, measured strides, one foot placed carefully on the
ground in front of the other, trunks sweeping the area ahead for
the sign of any small morsel that might help to fill those huge
stomachs, these majestic animals walk downstream in single file.
And a litter later, they return again.
The river is no longer flowing but there are many pools, which
provide water to drink and glorious mud baths for the seemingly
endless march-past. There are many elephants, large and small,
searching, searching for food.
Here, opposite the Tuli block in Botswana west of Pontdrift, they
walk along the bank of the river, under the huge trees growing
there. Trees that have tall trunks of great girth and no low branches.
Every branch within reach of these giants of the animal kingdom,
has long since been pulled down, its leaves and pods and bark devoured by them. Even the branches of the fig trees (one of their favourites) are chewed with relish, carried in the mouths of young and old as they stride along, eventually being discarded as a white pulp. |
The riverine is not yet completely bare as the elephant prefer not to feed on some of the smaller shrubs and trees, taking only a few leaves from these as they pass by. When the large, nutritious pods from the winter thorn also fall onto the sandy river bed, they slide down the bank to retrieve these. This particular tree, Faidherbia albida, grows to a height of some 25 meters and grows its leaves in the winter, hence its name. At this time of year, the blue-green Acacia-like leaves wear a dress of large, reddish pods, which fall to the ground intact. All he game in bushveld, including elephant, depend largely on this wonderful source of food for survival.
Ironically, when elephant begin to feel a lack of sufficient food, they remove the bark of the winter thorn with their tusks, and eat this as a food supplement. All the bark within reach of the tallest animal is eventually taken, leaving the tree trunk bare and vulnerable. The result of this behavior is that the tree dies shortly after….a case of killing the goose that lays the golden egg.
Where will it all end?
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