The Mopane Tree … The Bauhinia subfamily

LUISE HOFFMANNTHE most distinctive feature of the mopane tree are its twin leaves, which have a protein content of 12,6% and are very nutritious even when dry.

They are browsed by game and cattle eagerly eat them off the ground after they have fallen. Though they smell quite strongly of turpentine, the leaves do not taint the meat and milk of animals feeding on them. Elephant, giraffe and rhino browse the twigs; elephants also eat the bark and even the roots.

The large larvae of the mopane moth Gonimbrasia belina feed on the leaves of the mopane and can strip a tree of all its foliage within a few weeks. These caterpillars grow to about seven centimetres in length. They are spiny and black with white, yellow and red markings.

Highly nutritious, they are a much sought-after delicacy, which can be eaten fresh or roasted and also dried for later use. The adult moth has a wingspan of 12.5 cm and is beautifully marked in red-brown and grey. However, when cattle eat the cocoons of these moths with the leaves they may die.

According to reports the excessive cutting of mopane trees in some areas has led to a drastic decrease of mopane worms. The loss of this protein-rich natural resource is especially detrimental to children and old people living in the vicinity.

Tiny, stingless bees, known as ‘mopane flies’, are also associated with mopane woodland. They are attracted by the moisture around eyes and nose and can become very irritating by hovering around ones face.

Mopane bees live in hollow mopane tree trunks where the entrance to their nests is merely marked by a curved, narrow, waxy tube.

The incessant, shrill noise so typical of a hot afternoon among mopane trees or shrubs is caused by a cicada, which resembles a very large fly and can grow up to 4 cm long.

Hollows frequently form in mopane trunks and these are popular nesting sites for birds like hornbills and woodpeckers. Bush squirrels (Funisciurus congicus) also like to nest in these tree hollows and feed on seeds as well as dead ‘mopane worms’.

Medicinal: A decoction of the bark and chewed leaves are used to treat stomach ailments. The white fibres left after the leaves thoroughly chewed and placed on wounds stem bleeding. The fibres absorb the blood and promote blood clotting. The resin exuded by heated wood is said to cure the most stubborn wounds. The ashes of mopane wood contain much calcium and phosphorus and may be used as garden fertiliser.

The Himba people of Kunene regard the mopane as a sacred tree. Its twigs are placed near the sacred fire and its leaves are used in cleansing rituals. During ritual tooth extraction of 11-12 year old Himba children a sharp piece of mopane wood is placed against the tooth and tapped until the tooth can be removed by hand.

Propagation: Remove the seed carefully from the ripe pod, place it on river sand and keep moist. Reduce the amount of water as soon as the seed germinates because it damps off easily. Seedlings grow slowly until they reach a height of about 20cm. Then the growth rate speeds up. Do not damage the roots while transplanting. The mopane is a colourful, well-shaped and drought resistant tree for frost-free areas.

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