Spirostachys africana
Tamboti | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Malpighiales |
Family: | Euphorbiaceae |
Genus: | Spirostachys |
Species: | S. africana
|
Binomial name | |
Spirostachys africana |
Spirostachys africana is a medium-sized (about 10 metres (33 ft) tall) deciduous tree with a straight, clear trunk, occurring in the warmer parts of Southern Africa. Its wood is known as tamboti, tambotie, tambootie or tambuti.
It prefers growing in single-species
Description
The leaves are small, elliptic with crenate margins, and turn bright red in winter before dropping. The
Wood and toxicity
Despite it being prone to
Jumping beans
The fruits while green are frequently parasitised by the small grey moth Emporia melanobasis (Pyralidae: Phycitinae). Larvae develop within the growing fruits which show no external damage. When the fruits are mature each splits into 3 cocci. The larvae jack-knife inside the fallen segments, causing them to move about erratically and vigorously, to the surprise of the uninitiated. This has led to the name "jumping bean tree". The Mexican jumping bean, Sebastiania sp., also belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae and is parasitised by the moth Cydia saltitans.
Gallery
-
S. africana foliage
-
fruit capsule or schizocarp
-
fruit and fruit segments ormericarps
-
mericarp with Emporia melanobasis larva
-
Wood
-
Log with heart-rot
See also
- List of Southern African indigenous trees
References
- . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa - John Mitchell Watt & Maria Gerdina Breyer-Brandwyk (E&S Livingstone 1962)
- "Spirostachys africana". PlantZAfrica.com. Retrieved 2010-03-04.