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Catha edulis
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Cecil Kop Nature Reserve, Mutare
Photo: Bart Wursten
Cecil Kop Nature Reserve, Mutare
Photo: Bart Wursten
Globe Rock, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Globe Rock, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Besna Kobila, Matobo
Photo: Bart Wursten
Besna Kobila, Matobo
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Celastrus edulis Vahl |
| Common names: | Bushman's tea (English) Inandinandi (Ndebele) Khat (English) Mutswahari (Shona) Muzvaravashava (Shona) Umnanjana (Ndebele) |
| Frequency: | Common |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Shrub or small to medium-sized unarmed tree with drooping leaves and branches. Bark grey, cracking in older specimens, revealing a yellowish pigment. Young branchlets and petioles often pinkish-red. Leaves opposite on older branches, alternate or spiralled on young branchlets, more or less narrowly elliptic, 5.5-12 cm, glossy green above, paler below, rather leathery with more than 10 pairs of lateral veins at a sharp angle to the midrib; margin with small, gland-tipped teeth. Flowers in small axillary clusters pale yellow to whitish-green. Fruit an oblong 3-lobed capsule, c. 1 cm, reddish-brown when ripe. |
| Notes: | The leaves, chewed or boiled as a tea act as a mild stimulant. This use is particularly popular in countries like Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen. |
| Derivation of specific name: | edulis: edible |
| Habitat: | Along the margins of forest, in woodland and on rocky hillsides, often as a pioneer in cleared areas. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1160 - 1880 m |
| Flowering time: | Mainly Aug - Nov |
| Worldwide distribution: | From Ethiopia through the eastern side of Africa to the Eastern Cape, South Africa |
| Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
| Growth form(s): | Tree. |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Images last updated: | Wednesday 24 February 2021 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 125. (Includes a picture). Burrows, J.E., Burrows, S.M., Lötter, M.C. & Schmidt, E. (2018). Trees and Shrubs Mozambique Publishing Print Matters (Pty), Cape Town. Page 496. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 12. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 7. Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1989). The flora and phytogeography of the evergreen forests of Malawi. I: Afromontane and mid-altitude forests; Bull. Jard. Bot. Nat. Belg. 59(1/2) Page 19. Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 255. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 33. Robson, N.K.B. (1966). Celastraceae Flora Zambesiaca 2(2) Pages 381 - 382. (Includes a picture). Steedman, E.C. (1933). Some Trees, Shrubs and Lianes of Southern Rhodesia. Page 41. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 66. |
Other sources of information about Catha edulis:
Our websites:
Flora of Malawi: Catha edulisFlora of Mozambique: Catha edulis
Flora of Zambia: Catha edulis
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Catha edulisAfrican Plant Database: Catha edulis
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Catha edulis
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Catha edulis
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Catha edulis
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Catha edulis
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Catha edulis
JSTOR Plant Science: Catha edulis
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Catha edulis
Plants of the World Online: Catha edulis
Tropicos: Catha edulis
Wikipedia: Catha edulis
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