Forest Toad tree (E)
Bospaddaboom (A)
umKhamamasane (Z)
DESCRIPTION
This is a small to medium sized evergreen tree, with a single, slender, straight trunk. The bark is smooth and grayish-brown in colour. This tree is low branching. The young branches are dark green and turn a pale brown when mature. The flowers are white, tubular shaped with a spreading border and have a sweet scent. They appear in clusters towards the end of the branches.
SA TREE
645
FAMILY
Apocynaceae (Dogbane family)
FRUIT
The fruits are pods, and there are usually two fruits joined at the base. They are dark green and smooth, but sometimes have wrinkles and light green speckles. In Winter, they split open to reveal fleshy orange pulp which holds imbedded seeds. The pulp of the ripe fruit is edible.
HEIGHT
Averages between 4 and 8 metres, with a maximum height of 15 metres. This is a slow growing tree.
MEDICINAL
The bark is used to bring down fever and the sap is used to treat wounds. The latex is used as birdlime.
WILDLIFE
Attracts birds, insects and small mammals and monkeys.
HABITAT
These trees grow in riverine forest understoreys in KwaZulu Natal, and are also found in Zimbabwe and Mozambique.