Transvaal saffronwood, Three-petalled cassine
Elaeodendron transvaalense

Family: Celastraceae

What it is like

A shrub or small bushy tree. It has several stems. It grows 4-5 m tall. It can reach 10-15 m. Bark is pale grey. It loses many leaves during the year. The trunk is short and often crooked. The crown is round. The leaves are alternate and often clustered on small shoots. They are narrow and oval. They are 2-7 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They have net-veining on both surfaces. They are leathery and greyish-green. The flowers are in clusters in the axils of leaves. They occur as 20-30 flowered heads about 2 cm long. They are small and greenish-white. They have 3 petals. The fruit is fleshy with a stone inside. The fruit are berry like. They are round or oval and taper to both ends. They are 2.5 cm long by 1.8 cm wide. They are yellow to reddish-brown.

This was a Cassine. There are 80 Cassine species. Most are in Africa. The Celastraceae are mostly in the tropics and subtropics.

Where it is found

A tropical and subtropical plant. It grows in the bushveld often on termite mounds. It grows at medium to low altitude in open woodland. It grows along streams. In Zimbabwe it grows up to 1,520 m above sea level. It grows in areas with a rainfall about 150 mm per year. It grows in areas with a marked dry season. It can tolerate drought. It grows on soils over limestone. It can grow in slightly salty soils. It grows between 200-1,700 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Angola, Botswana, Central Africa, East Africa, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

It can be cut back and will re-grow.

It grows slowly.

Its other names

Local names

Anthill saffron, Bushveld saffron, Chimapana, Chimpana, Dikulukhazi, Ingulutane, Ingwavuna, Kakere, Koen, M'utice, Mcabango, Mgungulutane, Mkimgultuane, Monomani, Mukundadivhu, Ngcotfo, Soohais, Transvaal saffron, Transvaalsaffraan, Umcabango, Umgugutu

Synonyms

Pseudocassine transvaalensis (Burtt Davy) Bredell; Cassine transvaalensis (Burtt Davy) Codd; Crocoxylon transvaalense (Burtt Davy) N. Robson; Elaeodendron transvaalense (Burtt Davy) R. H. Archer; Salacia transvaalensis Burtt Davy;