piliostigma_thonningii

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Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach.) Milne-Redh.

Family : Fabaceae

Common names : camel's foot (Eng.); kameelspoor (Afr.); mukolokote (Venda); mokgoropo

(North Sotho); nkolokotso (TS)

This is a deciduous tree suitable for a large garden. It has large 2-lobed leathery leaves.

Description

Piliostigma thonningii is a deciduous tree with a single stem. The tree is highly utilised by the

local people.It flowers from December to February. An interesting feature of camel's foot is thatthe male and female flowers occur on different trees in most cases. If on the same tree, male

flowers occur first and then female flowers later so that self pollination is not possible. The

flowers are not showy. Flowers are followed by large, thick, reddish brown, non-splitting pods

about 3070 mm long.

The bark is dark brownish grey with a rough surface. A conspicuous feature of the tree is its large,

simple, two-lobed, leathery leaves which resemble a camel's foot and account for the common

name.

Piliostigma thonningii pods Piliostigma thonningii leaves

ostigma thonningii http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/piliothonn.ht

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Derivation of name and historical aspects

The genus name Piliostigma means cap-shaped, referring to the stigma. The specific name,

thonningii was given after the Danish botanist Peter Thonning. It was previously known as

Bauhinia thonningii. It is differentiated fromBauhinia by its unisexual flowers and indehiscent

pods.

Conservation statusCamel's foot is a protected tree in South Africa. It has been assessed against the I.U.C.N. criteria

and it is not threatened.

Distribution and habitat

It is widely distributed from Sudan to South Africa. In Mpumalanga it is restricted to the

northeastern part but it is more abundant in Limpopo Province in open woodland vegetation.

Ecology

Cattle and elephant browse the leaves. Young pods are eaten by baboons during winter months

when fresh food is scarce. It's a host of a bushveld Charaxes butterfly larva. It also attracts many

insects during the flowering season.

Uses and cultural aspects

The fresh leaves and flowers of this tree can be chewed to reduce thirst. Bark infusions are used

to treat diarrhoea. Bark fibres of the fresh branches can be used to make ropes used for tying

thatch roof structures and to make whips for herding goats and cattle. Bark consists of 1820%

tannin which is used to produce red-brown dye. There is evidence that this plant is used in most

African countries by traditional medical practitioners for treating a variety of ailments like ulcers,

and gastric and heart pains. Pods and seeds have been used as source of food during famine

periods. A powder can be made from the dry pods for making nutritious porridge. Unripe pods

can be used as a substitute for soap. Dry pods are roasted and ground into powder, and mixed

with tobacco powder and ashes of the red-leafAmaranthus to make cooking soda (alternative tobicarbonate of soda). This is used for cooking indigenous leafy vegetables such as Corchorus sp.,

Urera tenax,Pouzolzia mixta and Grewia occidentalis. It is also used as fire wood. It is an

excellent shade tree in the savanna woodland areas.

Piliostigma thonningii young tree

GrowingPiliostigma thonningii

It can be propagated by sowing scarified seeds or seeds soaked in hot water overnight or slightly

roasted. It can withstand drought and grows well in a frost free area. It is ideal as a pavement treefor screening the traffic noise. It is a very good shade tree in big gardens or public open spaces.

References and further reading


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Thompson Mutshinyalo

Walter Sisulu National

Botanical GardenNovember 2010

Coates Palgrave, M. 2002. Keith Coates Palgrave Trees of southern Africa, edn 3. Struik,

Cape Town.

Palmer, E. & Pitman, N. 1972. Trees of Southern Africa. Balkema, Cape Town.

Schmidt, E., Ltter, M. & McCleland, W. 2002. Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and

Kruger National Park. Jacana,Johannesburg.

Van Wyk, A.E. & Van Wyk, P.1997. Field guide to trees of southern Africa. Struik, Cape

Town.

Venter, S. & Venter, J.A. 1996.Making the most of indigenous trees. Briza Publications,Pretoria.

To find out if SANBI has seed of this or other SA species, please email ourseedroom.

This page forms part of the South African National Biodiversity Institute's plant information websitewww.plantzafrica.com.

S A National Biodiversity Institute Copyright/Using this information


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piliostigma_thonningii

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