''Celtis mildbraedii'' is a species of forest tree in the family
Cannabaceae
Cannabaceae is a small family of flowering plants, known as the hemp family. As now circumscribed, the family includes about 170 species grouped in about 11 genera, including '' Cannabis'' (hemp), '' Humulus'' ( hops) and ''Celtis'' (hackberries ...
. It was previously assigned to the family
Ulmaceae. These trees grow in limited areas of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...
,
Mozambique
Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Mala ...
and
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
. They are also found in forested areas from West Africa to
Sudan,
DRC,
Angola
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and
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...
. Common names include natal white stinkwood, red-fruited white-stinkwood and natal elm. This species is more common in
Tropical Africa
Although tropical Africa is mostly familiar to the West for its rainforests, this biogeographic realm of Africa is far more diverse. While the tropics are thought of as regions with hot moist climates, which are caused by latitude and the tr ...
than in
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number ...
.
There are about forty specimens in
Pigeon Valley Natural Heritage Park,
Durban
Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...
, South Africa. The southernmost specimen is found in
Ilanda Wilds
Ilanda Wilds is a nature reserve along Amanzimtoti River in the town of Amanzimtoti, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Swart, C. ''Ilanda wilds - our own natural garden'': South Coast Sun: 13 October 1974. This small area of land (Pooley, T. and Play ...
Nature Reserve in
Amanzimtoti.
The fruit of the tree turns red as it ripens but viable seed is difficult to find. No Natal White Stinkwoods were available from plant nurseries in South Africa in 2009 suggesting that this tree species is not being propagated, despite its rarity in South Africa.
This tree is a dominant species in the moist semi-deciduous forests of
Ghana
Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in Ghana–Ivory Coast border, the west, Burkina ...
along with ''
Triplochiton scleroxylon'' and African Mahogany (''
Khaya ivorensis''). The trees were common in
Ajenjua Bepo and
Mamang River Forest Reserves in Ghana.
In
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The south ...
the tree is used for timber and is a
primate
Primates are a diverse order (biology), order of mammals. They are divided into the Strepsirrhini, strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the Haplorhini, haplorhines, which include the Tarsiiformes, tarsiers and ...
food source in
Budongo Forest Reserve. A study of correlations between seedling and adult tree densities of ''Celtis mildbraedii'' here, suggested that this species had a healthy regeneration pattern.
[Mwavu, E.N. and Witkowski T.F. (Ed), (2009). Population structure and regeneration of multiple-use tree species in a semi-deciduous African tropical rainforest: Implications for primate conservation.
]
References
Bibliography
* Pooley, E. (1993). ''The Complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei''. .
* Hyde, M.A. & Wursten, B. (2010). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: ''Celtis mildbraedii''.
* Vordzogbe, V. V. et al. The Flora and Mammals of the Moist Semi-Deciduous Forest Zone in the Sefi-Wiawso District of the Western Region, Ghana. University of Ghana.
External links
More information on Natal White Stinkwood
mildbraedii
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