Camphor bush | |
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Foliage and flower heads at Nature's Valley in South Africa | |
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Habit in the Strandveld, South Africa | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Tarchonanthus |
Species: | T. camphoratus |
Binomial name | |
Tarchonanthus camphoratus | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Tarchonanthus camphoratus (known as camphor bush for its scent, or leleshwa in Kenya), is a shrub or small tree which is widespread in Africa south of the Sahel, and in Yemen.
The camphor bush can reach up to 6 meters in height. The twigs and younger stems are white-felted, as are the undersides of the leaves. The upper leaf surface is dark olive-green. Bruised leaves smell strongly of camphor. Tarchonanthus camphoratus is dioecious. Flowers are usually present from December to May (in South Africa), with cream coloured panicles on a discoid head. Male flowering heads have several flowers whilst the female has only a few. The fruit is a dense and woolly achene. [3]
Tarchonanthus camphoratus wood is fragrant, close-grained, attractive, durable and rich in aromatic oils. It is used as wood fuel and a source of charcoal. [4] [5] It is also used as a traditional building material, in horticulture, and in tribal papermaking. Leleshwa is also a source of aromatic oils [6] [7] used as fragrances. Its leaves are used by the Maasai to scent their homes and persons.
Tarchonanthus camphoratus is used as a traditional remedy for respiratory illnesses. [8] The species has wide range of local uses, including dental hygiene.