Limpopo Fauna and Flora

Grootblaarvalsdoring - Albizia versicolour Preference for sandy soils, moisture loving species Powder puff blooms go from white to yellow when spent Timber reveals that of wild teak Tree is reputed to be poisonous and although it is fed upon by elephants and kudu, the...

Hyphaena coriacea .- Fan of leaves on top of a long straight stem Wood spongy Sap is collected to make strong traditional wine To obtain the sap the palms are first burnt & then their crowns are removed to stimulate the flow of juice up the stem & allow it to...

Knoppies daring - Acacia nigrescens Knobs on young stems. These knobs protect the young stem from browsers 2 paired hooked thorns Often grows in association with Themeda triandra (a palatable grass) and are regarded as indication of good ranching country Favourite...

Jackalsbessie - Diospyros mespiliformis Edible fruit - stored as preserve or to make beer Fearing possession by evil spirits, Northern Transvaal tribes will not eat the fruit when alone The seeds are often found in jackal dung - 40% of jackal diet- also eaten by...

Haak-en-steek - Acacia tortillis Flowers: Nov - Jan Pod characteristically twisted & contorted, used for necklaces Leaves and pods very nutritious fodder. Pods made up nearly 20% protein Wood good fuel Produces an edible gum

Groenklapper - Strychnos spinosa Monkeys are fond of the juicy pulp Fresh pulp also eaten by rural folk who believe in its wide medicinal value

Vaalrosyntjiebos - Grewia hexamita & Silver raisin Grewia monticola Fruit edible Leaves are utilized by browsers Fruit used for purple dye, bark gives a brown dye Arrows are made from the flexible stems

Koorsboom - Acacia xanthophloea Found near water Characteristic colour of the stems apparent from the 2nd year of growth Bark of young stems tend to peel off in thin papery strips The rather sickly pallor of the fever trees comes from the presence of chlorophyll In...

Baster Maroela - Lannea schweinfurthii Belongs to the mango family Fruit smaller than a marula, pleasant grape-like tasting fruit

Delagoadoring - Acacia welwitschii Found on brackish flats between granite and Karoo sediments Timber can be polished to a high sheen, but it doesn't saw easily

Korenteharapuisboom - Ozoroa sphaerocarpa Small untidy tree Injured bark exudes a pale, very sticky resin used to entrap small birds Extracts from other parts of the resin tree are used to treat sore eyes, stimulate milk dysentry & to flow in humans...

Gewone drolpeer - Dombeya rotundifolia Member of the cocoa family Grey hairy caterpillars may be seen moving about the tree like participants in some important nocturnal procession in search of food. (They are the larvae of the bagnest moth Anaphe reticulata) · During...

Gewone wildevy - Ficus thonningii The genus Ficus is at least 2 million years old & they have a group of wasps without which they can't survive The fig doesn't have exposed stamens and stigmas to facilitate pollination, instead these are enclosed in a fleshy,...

Bleekblaarboom - Albizia harveyi In ideal conditions, low-lying alluvial soil and brackish flats, they can grow into big trees (normally shrub-like) 1 or more glands on the leaf stalk and rachis secrete nectar which attracts ants, who in turn act as bodyguards by...

Gewone koraalboom - Erythrina lysistemon Bright red colour of the blooms is an indicator of pollination by birds which are attracted by the colours toward this end of the spectrum Leaves appear well after flowering Lucky bean seeds Mammals make little use of it due to...

Blinkblaarwag-'n-bietjie - Ziziphus mucronata Widespread remedy for almost any pain - poultice of powdered & baked roots which is eaten after the removal from affected area Preparation made from roots used to treat lumbago and dysentery Boils & skin infections...

Swartapiesdoring - Acacia burkei Growth form similar to the Delagoa thorn and the Knob thorn Important food source, monkeys enjoy the gum produced by the bark Leaves & pods well liked by giraffe - their tough lips, long prehensile tongue and hard horny palate are...

Appelblaar - Lonchocarpus capassa Leaves often appear eaten (broken edges) Also fed on by the frog-hopper bug (see weeping wattle) Leaves heavily browsed on by game, but the roots are poisonous Inhaling smoke from burning roots - cures colds Burning roots also used to...

Kremetart - Adansonia digitata Bark has the appearance of wax dripping down a huge candle Very old - some thought to be 2000 years old Delicate large flower which opens in the evening and by nightfall next day hangs limp Attracts pollinators (fruit bats and other...

Nylsvlei The Nyl River flows through the reserve, and the vlei areas on both sides thereof form one of the largest grass floodplains in South Africa. To protect part of this vlei area, together with a great variety of plant communities, and to utilize its unlimited...

This Province is in the Savannah Biome, an area of mixed grassland and trees, which is generally known as Bushveld. The area known as the Springbok Flats is a huge featureless plain between Belabela (Warmbaths) in the south and Mokopane (Potgietersrus) in the north on...