Fabaceae - Pea Family
SA Tree no 237
This is usually a multi-stemmed shrub, with an irregular or round canopy and many dead branches sticking out after veld fires. It can be a tall tree with bare trunk and rounded canopy. The bark is grey to brown and rough, to deeply longitudinally fissured
Links with animals - Elephant feed off the leaves and young twigs, and often break of the trees and branches when eating, and they are also browsed by kudu and impala.
Human uses - The wood is durable and insect-proof, and is used for wagon wheels, furniture and household articles.
Gardening - This can be a very attractive tree for the small garden, It is quick-growing from seed, but is not frost-resistant.
Leaves - Compound, large and shiny with 1 or 2 pairs of alternate leaflets with a larger terminal leaf. Leaflets almost round, with conspicuous herringbone pattern of veins. The leaf margin is smooth. Leaflets are dark green above, much paler below, and turn yellow in autumn. (Leaf: 100 -300 mm; leaflet: 35 - 110 mm and almost as broad) With 2 - 5 pairs of opposite to sub-opposite leaflets.
Flowers - The conspicuous deep yellow, pea-shaped flowers are borne in sprays on the ends of mature stems. The flowers last for 2 - 3 weeks and are sweet-scented and have crinkled petals. This tree normally flowers only after good rains, but may flower more than once in a season, September to February. (Spray: 150 - 300 mm)
Pod - The pod consists of a central hard core surrounded by a thin, hard, very wavy membrane. The pod is yellow-green to dark brown and ripens in autumn. It may remain on the tree through winter, November to July. ( 60 x 35 mm)
Best places to see the Round-Leaved Teak in Southern Africa:
The Round-Leaved Teak is found in the Kruger National Park in the Mixed Bushwillow Woodlands, Sabie Crocodile Thorn Thickets, Thorn Veld, Knob Thorn / Marula Savannah & Lebombo Mountain Bushveld ecozones.
 Tree species of Southern Africa >> Printable Tree List <<
South African Trees >> Printable Tree List <<
The Plant Kingdom (Plantae)
Wildlife - Fauna & Flora of Southern Africa
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