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Catophractes alexandri, the only species in the genus Catophractes, is a spiny shrub or small tree up to 3m tall, belonging to the family Bignoniaceae and occurring in the hot, low-rainfall regions of Namibia, the Northern Cape, Kalahari Desert, Botswana, western Zimbabwe and Limpopo. Preferring calcrete, limestone outcrops and soils, the species often forms pure communities, or grows in association with Colophospermum mopane, Rhigozum virgatum, Phaeoptilum spinosum and Acacia nebrownii. It is parasitised by several Tapinanthus spp.
The specific name honours James Edward Alexander, the Victorian soldier and explorer, while the generic name refers to leaves and flowers arising from below the paired, decussate, opposite spines. Leaves are tufted (fascicled) or opposite, and densely tomentose and grey.
The root is chewed for stomach complaints, and when added to the root of Polygala leptophylla Burch., is used as a decoction for abdominal pain, especially in children. Leaf, root and bark infusions and decoctions are used to treat colds and coughs.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Catophractes by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
