| Balanites angolensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Zygophyllales |
| Family: | Zygophyllaceae |
| Genus: | Balanites |
| Species: | B. angolensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Balanites angolensis (Welw.) Mildbr. & Schltr. [1] | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Balanites angolensis, or Angolan green-thorn, is a species of tree from southern Africa, it is a member of the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae.
Balanites angolensis is a small semi-deciduous tree or shrub which grows to up to 8m in height. It has rough, corrugated bark which is green or greenish yellow on young shoots which are covered in dense hairs with yellow or green thorns which are up to 9 cm long. The flowers are greenish-yellow to whitish and are borne in small axillary clusters, each flower consisting of 5 petals and 5 sepals. The fruit is 30mm long, ovoid in shape and is orange when ripe. The leaves are alternate, consisting of one pair of leaflets, 12-17mm in length, leathery, yellowish green and downy. The leaves are ovoid with a pointed tip and tapering base and a short stalk. [2]
Balanites angolensis is found in Angola, Botswana and north eastern Namibia. [3]
Balanites angolensis occurs along seasonal watercourses [2] and in savannah, on dry hills and in coastal forest. [3] In dry scrub forest and mopane woodland Balanites angolensis is part of the understorey community. [4]
In Namibia Balanites angolensis flowers in October and November, fruit is seen from November but peaks in March and April. [3]
The fruit is edible, the branches are used by the Himba for fencing and the roots are used by the Himba to treat breast complaints in nursing mothers by inhaling the smoke of the burning roots and by making an ointment out of the ashes and smearing this on the breasts. Extracts from the tree are also used to treat genitourinary system disorders. [3]
There are two recognised subspecies: [1]
Kaokoland was an administrative unit and a bantustan in northern South West Africa. Established during the apartheid era, it was intended to be a self-governing homeland of the OvaHimba, but an actual government was never established. Like other homelands in South West Africa, the Kaokoland bantustan was abolished in May 1989, at the beginning of the transition of Namibia towards independence. "Kaokoland" remains as an informal name for the geographic area, while the political unit of administration since 1990 is Kunene Region. The area is in the Kaokoveld ecoregion.
Searsia pyroides, previously known as Rhus pyroides, is a species of Searsia, native to southern Africa. This tree occurs throughout the whole of South Africa, a part of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Tanzania and in some areas of Namibia near Windhoek.
Pterocarpus angolensis is a species of Pterocarpus native to southern Africa, in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zaire, Zimbabwe,and Zambia. It is a protected tree in South Africa. The name Kiaat, although Afrikaans, is sometimes used outside South Africa as well. In Zimbabwe, depending on what region you are in, it is known as Mukwa or Mubvamaropa.
Strychnos spinosa, the Natal orange, is a tree indigenous to tropical and subtropical Africa. It produces, sweet-sour, yellow fruits, containing numerous hard brown seeds. Greenish-white flowers grow in dense heads at the ends of branches. The fruits tend to appear only after good rains. It is related to the deadly Strychnos nux-vomica, which contains strychnine. The smooth, hard fruit are large and green, ripen to yellow colour. Inside the fruit are tightly packed seeds, which may be toxic, surrounded by a fleshy, brown, edible covering. Animals such as baboon, monkeys, bushpig, nyala and eland eat the fruit. The leaves are a popular food source for browsers such as duiker, kudu, impala, steenbok, nyala and elephant.
The blue waxbill, also called southern blue waxbill, blue-breasted waxbill, southern cordon-bleu, blue-cheeked cordon-bleu, blue-breasted cordon-bleu and Angola cordon-bleu, is a common species of estrildid finch found in Southern Africa. It is also relatively commonly kept as an aviary bird.
Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata is a subspecies of the well-known olive tree, which until recently was considered a separate species and is still mentioned as such in many sources. It has various common names, including wild olive, brown olive and Indian olive. It is suspected that the olive, which has been cultivated for millennia, may have been cultivated from this subspecies.
The wildlife of Botswana refers to the flora and fauna of Botswana. Botswana is around 90% covered in savanna, varying from shrub savanna in the southwest in the dry areas to tree savanna consisting of trees and grass in the wetter areas. Even under the hot conditions of the Kalahari Desert, many different species survive; in fact the country has more than 2500 species of plants and 650 species of trees. Vegetation and its wild fruits are also extremely important to rural populations living in the desert and are the principal source of food, fuel and medicine for many inhabitants.
The grey go-away-bird, also known as grey lourie, grey loerie, or kwêvoël, is a bold and common bird of the southern Afrotropics. They are present in arid to moist, open woodlands and thorn savanna, especially near surface water. They regularly form groups and parties that forage in tree tops, or dust bathe on the ground. Especially when disturbed, they make their presence known by their characteristically loud and nasal "kweh" or "go-way" calls, with the last syllable typically a descending drawl. Within range, their unique combination of appearance and habits precludes confusion with other bird species.
Protea angolensis is also known as the Angolan protea, northern protea or northern sugarbush. In Afrikaans it is known as the noordelijke suikerbos. This is a dwarf, multistemmed shrub or small straggling tree occurring in open wooded grassland and miombo.
The double-banded sandgrouse is a species of ground-living bird in the family Pteroclidae. It is found in arid parts of southern Africa.
The Angolan epauletted fruit bat is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is found in Angola and Namibia. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and moist savanna. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Balanites aegyptiaca is a species of tree, classified as a member of either the Zygophyllaceae or the Balanitaceae. This tree is native to much of Africa and parts of the Middle East.
Balanites is an Afrotropical, Palearctic and Indomalayan genus of flowering plants in the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae. The name Balanites derives from the Greek word for an acorn and refers to the fruit, it was coined by Alire Delile in 1813.
Combretum apiculatum is a species of tree in the family Combretaceae known by the common name red bushwillow. It is native to the mesic to semi-arid savanna regions of Africa, southwards of the equator.
Maerua angolensis is a 10m tall, occasionally deciduous tree of the Capparaceae or caper family, often growing on termitaria and in thickets fringing seasonal watercourses, up to 1800m. Though never common, it is widespread in tropical Africa and arid regions, being absent from high-rainfall regions.
Balanites glabra is a species of tree or shrub, classified either as a member of the Zygophyllaceae or the Balanitaceae. This tree is native to East Africa.
Balanites wilsoniana is a species of fruit-bearing tree from west and central Africa from the caltrop family (Zygophyllaceae).
Balanites pedicellaris, the small green-thorn or small torchwood is a small tree or shrub from Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a member of the caltrop family Zygophyllaceae.
Balanites rotundifolia, known in Swahili as Mbamba ngoma is a spiny bush or small tree from eastern Africa and southern Arabia. It is a member of the caltrop family, Zygophyllaceae.