Bushman bean, Large false mopane
Guibourtia coleosperma
Family: Fabaceae
What it is like
Guibourtia coleosperma is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 20 m (65ft) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. The flowers are pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 20
Where it is found
Open forest with Isoberlinia, Brachystegia; in pure stands here and there; almost confined to deep Kalahari sand; at elevations from 750 - 1,400 metres.
Tropical Africa - Angola, southern DR Congo, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, Congo DR, Congo, East Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Seed - cooked. Traditionally, they are baked in hot ashes and then pounded - although they can be eaten at this stage, it is more common to mix them with water to form a paste and then cook them again. Fruit - cooked. The fruit (actually a fleshy aril) is easily removed from the seed by soaking for a few minutes in warm water. The arils are used to make a soup.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 2
The bark is valued for the treatment of skin ailments and wound healing. It is normally pounded and then applied as a paste to the affected area.
Other
Rating: 2
The reddish-pink heartwood is attractive and fine-grained. The wood is hard and heavy and is used for furniture, knife handles and for various other purposes.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.
Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.
Management: Standard: Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Staple Crop: Protein-oil: (16+ percent protein, 16+ percent oil). Annuals include soybeans, peanuts, sunflower seeds. Perennials include seeds, beans, nuts, and fruits such as almond, Brazil nut, pistachio, walnut, hazel, and safou.
Wild Staple Crop: Some wild plants have strong historical or contemporary use. Although they are not cultivated crops, they may be wild-managed.
Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.
How it is grown
Found in the wild almost exclusively on deep sandy soils. Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen.
Propagating it: Seed
Best place to grow:
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 10-12
Growth: Slow
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Its other names
Local names
Bastard teak, Bastermopanie, Chivi, Copalwood, False mopani, Manzauri, Mehibi, Mtjibi, Mungengem Mushibi, Musyibi, Mutsauri, Mutsotso, Omushii, Oshi, Rhodesian mahogany, Rhodesian teak, Tsaudi, Tsauri, Umtshibi, Ushibi, Usivi, African rosewood (ambiguous), large false mopane, Rhodesian copalwood, and machibi,
Synonyms
Copaiba coleosperma (Benth.) Kuntze Copaifera coleosperma Benth. Copaiva coleosperma (Benth.) Britton