Brabejum stellatifolium
Encyclopedia
Brabejum stellatifolium (commonly called Wild Almond, Bitter Almond or Ghoeboontjie) is a large tree, indigenous to the Western Cape
, South Africa
.
This tree has special significance in Cape Town
's heritage, as it was used to make Van Riebeeck's Hedge
- the Cape's first formal boundary. Parts of this original hedge can still be seen growing today at Kirstenbosch
.
family, and is in fact a type of Protea
. It acquired the name "Wild Almond" simply because its fruits vaguely resemble almonds. The part-Khoi
local name "Ghoeboontjie" also refers to the fruit kernels and their use in traditional coffee.
The origin of the tree's genus name is uncertain, but its species name "stellatifolium" is a reference to the star-shaped rosettes of leaves that the tree produces.
. It grows up to about 15 meters high, but has wide spreading branches and a sprawling habit.
The smooth bark is pale greyish-brown and attractively mottled.
The green, leathery leaves are toothed and lance-shaped. They appear in rosettes of six, at intervals along the stems, radiating out from the branch like a star. Young leaves are soft, velvety and golden. The tiny, white, sweetly-scented flower
s appear in summer
, in dense racemes.
The nut-like fruits look similar to almonds and grow in clusters at the tips of branches. They are densely covered with chocolate-brown velvety hairs. The young fruits are an attractive magenta or lilac-purple colour and mature to the typical brown later in the summer. The fruits are short-lived, germinate quickly and are often dispersed by rivers.
The leaves of Brabejum are frequently disfigured by small knobs. These bubbles are the residences of tiny symbiotic mites. They do not harm the tree, but affected branches can be removed if they are found to be unsightly.
of the Cape, South Africa
. Here they are often a component of the local Afro-montane forests
.
They prefer moist areas, and commonly occur near streams in sheltered valleys and on lower mountain slopes.
In Cape Town
they are still abundant on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain
, although large amounts were felled from this area to make way for commercial pine
plantations.
However, despite its limited range, this species is not threatened.
The natural occurrence of these trees in South Africa
is of considerable interest to biologists. This is because Brabejum has no close relatives in Africa - within the enormous Protea family its nearest relative is the Macadamia
tree of Australia
and New Caledonia
. Its other more distant relatives likewise exist only in Australasia
and South America
. In fact, not only is this species alone in its Brabejum genus, it is also the only member of its sub-family in Africa (the proteas that surround it in South Africa are relatively distant relatives).
It seems that the ancient and spectacular Protea
family originated in Gondwanaland, hundreds of millions of years ago. The different species were gradually separated by plate tectonics
and their descendants still occur on the pieces that are now separated by thousands of miles of ocean. Brabejum is the lone survivor of its branch of the family tree on the Africa
n piece of Gondwanaland.
.
If correctly pruned, it can form a well-shaped tree. Wherever side branches are cut, more branches will grow from below the cut, so it is readily shaped into a good screen.
Older trees form an enormous jungle of giant tangled boughs and sprawling branches, making the trees incredibly popular with children!
Brabejum is best propagated by fresh seed. The nuts can simply be pushed into the ground as they are, and they germinate as soon as they are on firm, damp soil. However, the seeds do not survive long if they cannot germinate or if they dry out. Ensure that the seedlings get sufficient water in their first few years, preferably by planting them in a damp, shady area like a river bank.
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
This tree has special significance in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
's heritage, as it was used to make Van Riebeeck's Hedge
Jan van Riebeeck
Johan Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck was a Dutch colonial administrator and founder of Cape Town.-Biography:...
- the Cape's first formal boundary. Parts of this original hedge can still be seen growing today at Kirstenbosch
Kirstenbosch
Kirstenbosch is the name of a famous botanical garden nestled at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town....
.
Name
Despite its common name, it is not a member of the almondAlmond
The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
family, and is in fact a type of Protea
Protea
Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes.-Etymology:...
. It acquired the name "Wild Almond" simply because its fruits vaguely resemble almonds. The part-Khoi
Khoisan
Khoisan is a unifying name for two ethnic groups of Southern Africa, who share physical and putative linguistic characteristics distinct from the Bantu majority of the region. Culturally, the Khoisan are divided into the foraging San and the pastoral Khoi...
local name "Ghoeboontjie" also refers to the fruit kernels and their use in traditional coffee.
The origin of the tree's genus name is uncertain, but its species name "stellatifolium" is a reference to the star-shaped rosettes of leaves that the tree produces.
Appearance
The Brabejum is a spreading, multi-stemmed, well-shaped evergreen treeEvergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
. It grows up to about 15 meters high, but has wide spreading branches and a sprawling habit.
The smooth bark is pale greyish-brown and attractively mottled.
The green, leathery leaves are toothed and lance-shaped. They appear in rosettes of six, at intervals along the stems, radiating out from the branch like a star. Young leaves are soft, velvety and golden. The tiny, white, sweetly-scented flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s appear in summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
, in dense racemes.
The nut-like fruits look similar to almonds and grow in clusters at the tips of branches. They are densely covered with chocolate-brown velvety hairs. The young fruits are an attractive magenta or lilac-purple colour and mature to the typical brown later in the summer. The fruits are short-lived, germinate quickly and are often dispersed by rivers.
The leaves of Brabejum are frequently disfigured by small knobs. These bubbles are the residences of tiny symbiotic mites. They do not harm the tree, but affected branches can be removed if they are found to be unsightly.
Distribution
The natural range of these trees is confined to the fynbos biomeFynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
of the Cape, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Here they are often a component of the local Afro-montane forests
Afromontane
Afromontane is a term used to describe the Afrotropic subregion and its plant and animal species common to the mountains of Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula...
.
They prefer moist areas, and commonly occur near streams in sheltered valleys and on lower mountain slopes.
In Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
they are still abundant on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain
Table Mountain
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa, and is featured in the flag of Cape Town and other local government insignia. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top...
, although large amounts were felled from this area to make way for commercial pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
plantations.
However, despite its limited range, this species is not threatened.
The natural occurrence of these trees in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
is of considerable interest to biologists. This is because Brabejum has no close relatives in Africa - within the enormous Protea family its nearest relative is the Macadamia
Macadamia
Macadamia is a genus of nine species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, with a disjunct distribution native to eastern Australia , New Caledonia and Sulawesi in Indonesia ....
tree of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
. Its other more distant relatives likewise exist only in Australasia
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. In fact, not only is this species alone in its Brabejum genus, it is also the only member of its sub-family in Africa (the proteas that surround it in South Africa are relatively distant relatives).
It seems that the ancient and spectacular Protea
Protea
Protea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes.-Etymology:...
family originated in Gondwanaland, hundreds of millions of years ago. The different species were gradually separated by plate tectonics
Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that describes the large scale motions of Earth's lithosphere...
and their descendants still occur on the pieces that are now separated by thousands of miles of ocean. Brabejum is the lone survivor of its branch of the family tree on the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n piece of Gondwanaland.
Growing Brabejum
This is a relatively fast growing tree and is not suitable for the small garden. It has a tendency to spread out sideways and it can be used to form an impenetrable hedgeHedge
Hedge may refer to:* Hedge or hedgerow, line of closely spaced shrubs planted to act as a barrier* Hedge , investment made to limit loss* Hedge , intentionally non-committal or ambiguous sentence fragments-See also:...
.
If correctly pruned, it can form a well-shaped tree. Wherever side branches are cut, more branches will grow from below the cut, so it is readily shaped into a good screen.
Older trees form an enormous jungle of giant tangled boughs and sprawling branches, making the trees incredibly popular with children!
Brabejum is best propagated by fresh seed. The nuts can simply be pushed into the ground as they are, and they germinate as soon as they are on firm, damp soil. However, the seeds do not survive long if they cannot germinate or if they dry out. Ensure that the seedlings get sufficient water in their first few years, preferably by planting them in a damp, shady area like a river bank.