Sideroxylon inerme

Sideroxylon inerme (aMasethole or White Milkwood) is a Southern African coastal tree, with dense foliage, black berries and small, dainty white flowers. The tree's formal name means "Iron-wood" in Greek, referring to its very hard timber.

It is one of South Africa's Protected Trees and several specimens are National Monuments.^[1] This is the only member of the Sideroxylon genus in Southern Africa.

Contents 1 Distribution 2 Description 3 Sub-species 4 Historical aspects 5 Gallery 6 References

Distribution

The Sideroxylon inerme trees are scattered through the coastal woodlands and littoral forests of South Africa as far as Zimbabwe. Historically, dense forests of large Milkwood trees used to exist along the coast and bays of Cape Town, especially at Noordhoek, Macassar and Gordons Bay. The Milkwood is not endangered but it is one of South Africa's Protected Trees, which means that it is illegal to damage, move or destroy them.^[1]

Description

Sideroxylon inerme is is a semi-coastal sturdy broadleaf evergreen tree with dense foliage, displays of white bisexual flowers and edible purplish-black berries. It boasts leathery, spiral leaves, which, like the berries, contain milky latex. Young branches and new leaves are always covered with fine hairs. The tree can reach 15 m.

The Milkwood has considerable value in traditional medicine and attracts birds, monkeys and other animals to its flowers and fruits : Speckled mousebirds eat the flowers ; birds, bats, monkeys and bush pigs eat the fruit. It is also an effective firebreak and is cultivated for that purpose.^[1]

Sub-species

Sideroxylon inerme carries three sub-species :

• Sideroxylon inerme cryptophlebium (Baker) J.H.Hemsl., which grows on Aldabra island (Seychelles) ;
• Sideroxylon inerme diospyroides (Baker) J.H.Hemsl., whose range extends to Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Mozambique ;
• Sideroxylon inerme inerme, in Mozambique and South Africa.^[2]

Historical aspects

The White Milkwood has great significance in South Africa's heritage, with three specimen proclaimed national monuments:

• The "Post Office Tree" - in Mossel Bay, believed to be 600 years old, carried the message of the drowning at sea of the Bartholomew Dias in a shoe tied to its branches.
• The "Treaty Tree" in Woodstock, Cape Town stood next to the house where in 1806 Cape Town was surrendered to the British.
• The "Fingo Milkwood" in the Eastern Cape was the location where the Fingo people signed a treaty of alliance with the Cape Colony.

Gallery

References