Colophospermum mopane
Sign in to saveAlso known as Mopane
Colophospermum mopane, commonly called mopane, mopani, butterfly tree, turpentine tree, or balsam tree, is a tree in the legume family (Fabaceae), that grows in hot, dry, low-lying areas, in elevation, in parts of Southern Africa. The tree only occurs in Africa and is the only species in genus Colophospermum. Its distinctive butterfly-shaped (bifoliate) leaf and thin kidney-shaped/nearly semi-circular seed pod make it easy to identify.
Species
Least ConcernSPECIES
- KingdomPlantae
- PhylumTracheophyta
- ClassMagnoliopsida
- OrderFabales
- FamilyFabaceae
General: in Africa. Colophospermum mopane (or mopane as it is commonly known
via GBIF · IUCN · Kew POWO
Museum specimens
- Specimen records
- 118
- With media
- 76
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Collections
- UAM, US, ANSP, OBI, NY, ASU
- Recorded in
- Zimbabwe, South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Malawi, United States, Zambia, Afrique Du Sud
~8 min read
Encyclopedic overview
11 sectionsContents
- Range and habitat
- Mopane ecoregions
- Soil and morphology
- Uses
- Food source
- Etymology
- Gallery
- See also
- Explanatory notes
- References
- Bibliography
Colophospermum mopane, commonly called mopane, mopani, butterfly tree, turpentine tree, or balsam tree, is a tree in the legume family (Fabaceae), that grows in hot, dry, low-lying areas, in elevation, in parts of Southern Africa. The tree only occurs in Africa and is the only species in genus Colophospermum. Its distinctive butterfly-shaped (bifoliate) leaf and thin kidney-shaped/nearly semi-circular seed pod make it easy to identify.
Though hard and dense and difficult to work with, it is valued timber in all sorts of construction due to its termite tolerance. Together with camel thorn and leadwood, it is one of the three regionally important firewood trees, due to the enduring heat, and these woods are also some of the preferred use culinarily for braai.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Colophospermum mopane” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.