Ziziphus mucronata
Encyclopedia
Ziziphus mucronata, known as the Buffalo Thorn, "blinkblaar-wag-'n-bietjie" in Afrikaans and "mphasamhala" in Tsonga
, is a species in the Rhamnaceae
family.
Buffalo thorn has distinctive zigzag branchlets, and hooked and straight thorns.
The bark is a red-brown (on young stems) or roughly mottled grey which is cracked in small rectangular blocks revealing a stringy red underbark.
The fruit are roughly grape size, and ripen into a deep red.
; the fruit are also very nutritional, though not very tasty.
During the Anglo-Boer war
the stones were roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee. A beer can be made from the fruit.
The Buffalo Thorn also has medicinal properties, an extract of the roots is given as a painkiller and a solution of the bark and leaves in water is used for chest complaints.
Some Bantu tribes believe that it is safe to shelter under a buffalo thorn during a thunderstorm, as a protection from lightning.
The leaves can be used as an aphrodisiac, either by being chewed or used in dishes.
Tsonga
Tsonga may refer to:* Tsonga language, a Bantu language spoken in southern Africa* Tsonga people, a large group of people living mainly in southern Mozambique* Jo-Wilfried Tsonga , French tennis player...
, is a species in the Rhamnaceae
Rhamnaceae
Rhamnaceae, the Buckthorn family, is a large family of flowering plants, mostly trees, shrubs and some vines.The family contains 50-60 genera and approximately 870-900 species. The Rhamnaceae have a worldwide distribution, but are more common in the subtropical and tropical regions...
family.
Appearance and distribution
The Buffalo Thorn is a small to medium sized tree, reaching a height of about 10m (4"). It can survive in a variety of soil types, occurring in many habitats, mostly open woodlands, often on soils deposited by rivers, and grows frequently on termite mounds.Buffalo thorn has distinctive zigzag branchlets, and hooked and straight thorns.
The bark is a red-brown (on young stems) or roughly mottled grey which is cracked in small rectangular blocks revealing a stringy red underbark.
The fruit are roughly grape size, and ripen into a deep red.
Uses
Many farmers use the buffalo thorn as a natural fence, it is also becoming more popular for this reason in schools and domestic homes. The leaves are edible, and can be cooked into tasty spinachSpinach
Spinach is an edible flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to central and southwestern Asia. It is an annual plant , which grows to a height of up to 30 cm. Spinach may survive over winter in temperate regions...
; the fruit are also very nutritional, though not very tasty.
During the Anglo-Boer war
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
the stones were roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee. A beer can be made from the fruit.
The Buffalo Thorn also has medicinal properties, an extract of the roots is given as a painkiller and a solution of the bark and leaves in water is used for chest complaints.
Some Bantu tribes believe that it is safe to shelter under a buffalo thorn during a thunderstorm, as a protection from lightning.
The leaves can be used as an aphrodisiac, either by being chewed or used in dishes.
External links
- Ziziphus mucronata in U. Brunken, M. Schmidt, S. Dressler, T. Janssen, A. Thiombiano & G. Zizka: West African plants - A Photo Guide. - Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg, Frankfurt/Main, 2008.
- World Agroforestry Centre
- Plantzafrica