Notices for Users of the Albums

1. New Albums and some changes

 

The latest Albums on genera of South African plants added to the Operation Wildflower Site are the ones on Cyrtanthus, Dicoma and Strumaria. This means that photos and stories of plants belonging to these genera already on the Site, together with some new ones, have been moved from the more general Albums called Bulbs and Herbs respectively into their own new Albums under Genera. 

 

There is a genus Album in every case where enough material has been accumulated to warrant a stand-alone grouping of photos and stories. There are now more than 220 such genera Albums. The biggest ones (most photos) belong to the genera Crassula, Euphorbia, Pelargonium, Aloe and Erica. Keep watching, more will be added. If there is no genus Album yet on the plant you are looking for, check under Types, the grouping that the Site was started off with, accessible via the pictured items shown on the right. The Search Box may yield more, for plants and related material are also shown in Albums on Habitat, Regions and Parks and Gardens.

 

In order to access items on a plant of interest, enter its botanical name in the Search Box. Entering other words or names will access what is contained in the Albums database. The latest Regions Album is the one on Nature's Valley and the latest Parks and Gardens Album is on Tietiesbaai also known as the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve.

 

2. Want to talk about a plant or an Album item?

 

There is a new way of communicating with the Editor of this Site regarding any of the Album Items.
Comments, questions, corrections, information and suggestions can be put to the Editor by using the following email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

Please ensure that the Album Item concerned is clearly identified. Type its exact title as well as the Album Name in the Subject Line of your email. Please also state your name.

 

Similarly, communication regarding the functioning or technical aspects of the Site can be directed to the Webmaster at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

3. Reduced Mobile Site for Cell Phone Users

 

Operation Wildflower now also offers a reduced Mobile Site for cell phone use that only presents the Albums contents. This is aimed at overcoming display difficulties on some of the mobile devices in use for quick reference. The reduction found in the Mobile Site doesn't affect the full set of photos and stories of Operation Wildflower, only in diminishing the Site's secondary details that may make it hard to access the items on a small screen.

 

It is best to use the normal or full Operation Wildflower Site on computers, iPads and devices with bigger screens, as well as those that present unimpaired display of full details and access to all material on offer.

 

Should viewing difficulties be experienced on your device, click here to access the Mobile Site.

 

4. Subject Index

 

A Subject Index of a selection of topics touched on in Album Item text has been started, other than plant species. Access it via Information.

 

The Album Item Title should be clicked upon to open the Item dealing with the Topic.

 

Check in the Search Box for yet more subjects not added to the Subject Index list yet.

 

Catha edulis

 

Botanical name

Catha edulis

Other names

Bushman's tea; khat; boesmanstee (Afrikaans)

Family

Celastraceae

Dimensions

Small deciduous tree with drooping branches, up to 12 m in height; sometimes a shrub

Description of stem

Bark grey, smooth and often reddish on younger branches, coarse and cracked in a characteristic grid pattern on mature specimens

Description of leaves

Opposite on mature branches, alternate on young ones; oblong, leathery, bright green and shiny on upper surface, paler green below; net-veining conspicuous, especially on the lower surface; margin serrated or toothed with a gland per tooth; tapering apex and base; petiole about 1 cm; stipules sometimes present; petioles short and pink; leaves become yellow in autumn

Description of flowers

Very small white to yellow flowers in abundant axillary clusters; they are green inside

Desciption of seed/fruit

Three-lobed capsule of 1 cm that turns reddish brown as it ripens, mostly dehiscent; seeds winged

Description of roots

 

Variation

 

Propagation and cultivation

Popular as an attractive garden tree; grown from seed, truncheons or root cuttings; it is sometimes cultivated as a container, even a house-plant

Tolerances

 

Uses

Wood used in house-building and furniture; the leaves provide a widely used flu and cough remedy, also for general chest complaints or respiratory diseases; in the Middle East known as the source of a commonly used drug (khat); www.geocities.com says that 80% of adults in Yemen use khat as a drug; it is exported to the USA (for one) on a large scale; the plant contains the recognised drug, cathinone

Ecological rarity

Common and widespread

Pests and diseases

 

Other

Catha' = a derivation from the Arabic common name of this tree; edulis = edible (Greek); khat is dangerous in various ways to the health of children, older people over 55 and regular users; the ancient Egyptians may have believed that it gives access to divinity

Location

Woodland, evergreen forest and wooded mountainsides

Distribution (SA provinces)

Eastern Cape; KZN; Mpumalanga; Limpopo

Country

South Africa; Swaziland; Mozambique; Zimbabwe; Zambia; East and North Africa; southern Arabia and Yemen; it may have originated in Ethiopia and/or Yemen

 


 

Catha edulis

Flowering branches, photo Johannes Vogel

Close-up of the flowering spray, photo Johannes Vogel

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