''Mimusops laurifolia'' is a large evergreen tree, native to the Ethiopian Highlands and the highlands of southeastern Arabian Peninsula.Kilian, Norbert, Peter Hein, and Mohamed Ali Hubaishan (2004). "Further Notes on the Flora of the Southern Coastal Mountains of Yemen". ''Willdenowia'' Bd. 34, H. 1 (Aug. 25, 2004), pp. 159-182.

Description

''Mimusops laurifolia'' is an evergreen, broad-canopied tree, typically growing up to 15 metres tall, and up to 25 metres under optimal conditions.Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2020-04-26. ropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Mimusops+laurifolia/ref> The leaves are oval and leathery, and clustered towards the end of the twigs.Nicholson, Paul T., and Ian Shaw (2000). ''Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology''. Cambridge University Press, Mar 23, 2000. The fruit is an oval yellow berry about 35mm x 20mm.

Distribution

In Africa, ''M. laurifolia'' is found in scattered sites in the northern and eastern Ethiopian Highlands of Eritrea, Ethiopia, northwestern

Somaliland Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...

, and in the coastal mountains of Djibouti. It is found on mountain slopes, in dry ''Juniperus-Olea'' forests in association with '' Juniperus procera'' and ''

Olea europaea The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...

'', as single large trees in evergreen or semi-evergreen bushland outside the forest, and in riparian forests or as isolated trees along intermittent streams.Lovett J.C., Friis I. (1996) Patterns of endemism in the woody flora of north-east and east Africa. In: van der Maesen L.J.G., van der Burgt X.M., van Medenbach de Rooy J.M. (eds) The Biodiversity of African Plants. Springer, Dordrecht. It also occurs in a few sites on the southwestern Arabian Peninsula – in stream valleys on the slopes of the

Sarawat Mountains The Sarawat Mountains ( ar, جِبَالُ ٱلسَّرَوَاتِ, Jibāl as-Sarawāt), also known as the Sarat, is a part of the Hijaz mountains in the western part of the Arabian Peninsula. In a broad sense, it runs parallel to the eastern c ...

in northwestern Yemen and southwestern Saudi Arabia, and on Jabal Ureys and Jabal Gedu, coastal mountains along Yemen's southern coast. In Jabal Ureys and Jabal Gedu, ''M. laurifolia'' occurs in small enclaves of fog forest where the coastal mountains intercept moisture-bearing winds from the Arabian Sea.

Uses

Local communities gather the edible fruit from wild trees, and occasionally use the timber for fuel, construction, and carpentry. The wood is light brown to pale yellow. The tree was probably cultivated in ancient Egypt. Twigs and leaves have been found in tombs from the Twelfth Dynasty to Greco-Roman times, and it was mentioned in texts from the 18th Dynasty onwards. The wood was used for making statues, beds, tables, and other objects.

Conservation status

''M. laurifolia'' is extremely rare in Southwest Arabia. Its distribution is limited to humid sites, and it has suffered from habitat loss, overgrazing, and desertification. The population in the Sarawat mountains is limited to a few stream valleys (wadis). A dozen old trees were observed in Jabal Gedu, and only two trees in Jabal Ureys.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15335855 Fruits originating in Africa Afromontane flora Flora of Djibouti Flora of Eritrea Flora of Ethiopia Flora of Saudi Arabia Flora of Somalia Flora of Yemen Trees of the Arabian Peninsula laurifolia Somali montane xeric woodlands Southwestern Arabian foothills savanna