Spirostachys africana
- Bark: Black block shaped – chocolate colour
- Often in “forests”
- Leaves: 2 glands at the junction with the petiole -black tips
- Copious milky latex which is poisonous and causes extreme irritation to sensitive skin and severe pain to eyes, causes inflammation in open wounds
- Africans use it as a fish poison and to tip arrow heads – It is a narcotic
- Can’t use the wood for fire, it burns a sweetish odour which causes headache and nausea and taints food
- Effects on insects are so unpleasant to them that pieces of wood placed among clothes serves as a repellent
- Small amounts can be used as a treatment for boils and a decoction of the roots can be used as a cure for eye complaints, a remedy for stomach ulcers and toothache
- Can’t use the wood to make ox-yokes as it causes burn-like sores on the animals neck
- Seeds become infested with the larvae of the grey moth which by straightening its body causes the seeds to spring into the air – jumping bean tree
- Porcupines and cane rats eat bark, therefore the eaten areas often catch alight first during veld fires causing the hollowed out chimney effect of these trees.
- Flowers produce a nectar to attract monkeys and sun-birds and are even eaten by buffalo
