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Nyala tree

Xanthocercis zambesiaca

Also called Mashatu Tree

Nyala tree
Photo: Sjolseth, Public domain
Family
Fabaceae (Pea & bean family)
Grows as
Tree
Native range
S. Trop. Africa to Mpumalanga
Climate
seasonally dry tropical

About

Xanthocercis zambesiaca, the nyala tree or mshatu, is a species of legume in the family Fabaceae which is native to the southern subtropics of Africa. It occurs in seasonally hot, low-lying river valleys of Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Nyala trees grow on alluvium or termite mounds where they have access to plentiful moisture and deep, fertile soil. They occur sparsely in the eastern lowveld of Southern Africa, but are more prolific in the Limpopo valley and along the Tuli Block's Shashe River, where they are known as mshatu trees. The foliage and fruit, which ripen in autumn and winter, provide food for various vertebrates.

Other Xanthocercis plants

Xanthocercis madagascariensis · Xanthocercis rabiensis · Xanthocercis

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Xanthocercis zambesiaca by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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