Tarchonanthus camphoratus
Encyclopedia
Tarchonanthus camphoratus (known as Camphor
Bush for its scent, or Leleshwa in Kenya), is a shrub or small tree, native to eastern
and Southern Africa
and Arabia.
The Camphor Bush can reach up to 6 meters in height. The twigs and younger stems are white-felted, as are the undersides of the leaves. The upper leaf surface is dark olive-green. Tarchonanthus camphoratus is dioecious
. Flowers are usually present from December to May (in South Africa), with cream colored panicles
on a discoid head. Male flowering heads have several flowers whilst the female has only a few. The fruit is a dense and woolly achene
.
, as a traditional building material, in horticulture, and in tribal papermaking
. Wild leleshwa is also a source of charcoal, and essential oils used as fragrances. It leaves are used by the Maasai to scent their homes and persons.
Camphor
Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...
Bush for its scent, or Leleshwa in Kenya), is a shrub or small tree, native to eastern
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
and Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa is the southernmost region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. Within the region are numerous territories, including the Republic of South Africa ; nowadays, the simpler term South Africa is generally reserved for the country in English.-UN...
and Arabia.
The Camphor Bush can reach up to 6 meters in height. The twigs and younger stems are white-felted, as are the undersides of the leaves. The upper leaf surface is dark olive-green. Tarchonanthus camphoratus is dioecious
Dioecious
Dioecy is the property of a group of biological organisms that have males and females, but not members that have organs of both sexes at the same time. I.e., those whose individual members can usually produce only one type of gamete; each individual organism is thus distinctly female or male...
. Flowers are usually present from December to May (in South Africa), with cream colored panicles
Panicle
A panicle is a compound raceme, a loose, much-branched indeterminate inflorescence with pedicellate flowers attached along the secondary branches; in other words, a branched cluster of flowers in which the branches are racemes....
on a discoid head. Male flowering heads have several flowers whilst the female has only a few. The fruit is a dense and woolly achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
.
Cultivation and uses
Tarchonanthus camphoratus is used as wood fuelWood fuel
Wood fuel is wood used as fuel. The burning of wood is currently the largest use of energy derived from a solid fuel biomass. Wood fuel can be used for cooking and heating, and occasionally for fueling steam engines and steam turbines that generate electricity. Wood fuel may be available as...
, as a traditional building material, in horticulture, and in tribal papermaking
Papermaking
Papermaking is the process of making paper, a substance which is used universally today for writing and packaging.In papermaking a dilute suspension of fibres in water is drained through a screen, so that a mat of randomly interwoven fibres is laid down. Water is removed from this mat of fibres by...
. Wild leleshwa is also a source of charcoal, and essential oils used as fragrances. It leaves are used by the Maasai to scent their homes and persons.