Ziziphus mucronata

Ziziphus mucronata Willd.

Ziziphus mucronata, known as buffalo thorn, is a tree in the Rhamnaceae family native to southern Africa. It can grow up to 17 meters tall and is deciduous. The tree is adaptable to various soil types and is commonly found in open woodlands, especially on river-deposited soils and termite mounds. It is known by the Zulu name 'umLahlankosi' and the Afrikaans name 'Blinkblaar-wag-'n-bietjie', referring to its shiny light green leaves and hooked thorns.

Description

Ziziphus mucronata is distributed across many African countries, including Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and others. It was first described in 1809 by Willd. The species is notable for its ecological versatility and traditional cultural significance, such as being used as a grave marker for tribal chiefs in Zulu culture.

Distribution

Global · AU · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina · Burundi · Cameroon · Cape Provinces · Caprivi Strip · Central African Repu · Chad · Djibouti · Eritrea · Ethiopia · Free State · Gambia · Guinea · Ivory Coast · Kenya · KwaZulu-Natal · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mozambique · Namibia · Nigeria · Niger · Northern Provinces