Safari Guide Trees of Southern Africa

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Southern Africa has a huge diversity of trees, and whilst for most people, going on a safari holiday in Africa is going to be all about the Big 5 animals. It is very important to remember that none of them would be there without Africa's trees, many of which have very interesting storieas to tell, I hope to pass a few of these on to you and when you go on safari, surprise your safari guide and ask him/her to tell you about some of the trees in the area, you'll be surprised how interesting they can be!

Common Trees and Shrubs of Southern Africa

• Acacia burkei - Black Monkey Thorn - Swartapiesdoring
• Acacia caffra - Common Hook-thorn - Gewone Haakdoring
• Acacia erioloba – Camel thorn
• Acacia erubescens – Blue thorn
• Acacia galpinii - Monkey Thorn - Apiesdoring
• Acacia karroo – Sweet thorn
• Acacia mellifera  – Black thorn - Swaarthaak
• Acacia nigrescens – Knob thorn
• Acacia nilotica – Scented thorn
• Acacia robusta – Ankle thorn
• Acacia tortilis – Umbrella thorn
• Aloe marlothii – Mountain aloe
• Boscia albitrunca - Shepherd’s tree
• Boscia foetida subsp. Rehmanniana – Stink shepherd’s tree
• Cassine transvaalensis – Transvaal saffron
• Celtis africana – White stinkwood
• Combretum apiculatum – Red bushwillow
• Combretum erythrophyllum – River bushwillow
• Combretum hereroense – Russet bushwillow
• Combretum Imberbe – Leadwood
• Combretum molle - Velvet Bush-willow
• Combretum zeyheri – Large-fruited bushwillow
• Dichrostachys cinerea – Sickle bush
• Dombeya rotundifolia – Common wild pear
• Erythrina lysistemon – Common coral tree
• Euclea crispa – Blue guarri - Blou-ghwarrie
• Euclea undulata - Common guarri
• Euphorbia ingens – Common tree euphorbia
• Faurea salinga – Transvaal beech (beechwood)
• Grewia bicolor – White raisin
• Grewia flava – Velvet raisin
• Grewia flavescens – Sandpaper raisin
• Gymnosporia buxifolia – Common spike-thorn
• Kirkia wilmsii – Mountain seringa
• Mundulea sericea – Cork bush
• Olea europaea subsp. (=O. africana) – Wild olive
• Ozoroa paniculosa – Common resin tree
• Pappea capensis – Jacket plum
• Peltophorum africanum – Weeping wattle
• Pterocarpus rotundifolius – Round-leaved teak
• Rhus lancea – Karree
• Rhus leptodictya – Mountain karree
• Sclerocarya birrea – Marula
• Spirostachys africana – Tamboti
• Tarchonanthus camphoratus – Camphor bush
• Terminalia sericea – Silver cluster-leaf
• Ximenia americana – Blue sourplum
• Ziziphus mucronata - Buffalo thorn

 

Glossary of tree terms

• Dehiscent – opening as in anthers or fruit.
• Oblanceolate – inversely lanceolate (lance shaped) with the attachment at the narrow end
• Sessile – attached directly without a supporting stalk, as in a leaf without a petiole (= stalkless)
• Whorl – the arrangement of 3 or more leaves or flowers at the same node of the axis, forming an encircling ring