Thespesia garckeana

Thespesia garckeana /ˌθɛsˈpiːʒə ˌɡɑːrkiˈænə, -ˈɑːnə/ (also known by its synonym Azanza garckeana) is a tree in the family Malvaceae, found throughout the warmer parts of Southern Africa in wooded grasslands, open woodland and thickets. It grows naturally over a range of altitudes from 1000 to 2000 m above sea level, from semi-arid areas to areas of higher rainfall. T. garckeana is often found on or near termite mounds in old fields.

Thespesia garckeana
Kalanga woman selling morojwa in Botswana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Malvales
Family:	Malvaceae
Genus:	Thespesia
Species:	T. garckeana
Binomial name
Thespesia garckeana F.Hoffm.(Exell & Hillc.)

Common names: African chewing gum, snot apple, tree hibiscus, mutohwe (Shona), nkole (Sri Lanka), "uXakuxaku" (isiNdebele)

Uses

• The whole fruit except the seeds is chewed like gum, producing a sweet glutinous slime. The fruit is also used as a syrup and soup.
• The sap wood is yellow and the heart wood is a deep brown. It is easily worked but generally only suitable for small building needs, tool handles, oxen yokes, and domestic items such as spoons.
• The leaves of T. garckeana have many uses including green manure and mulch. The leaves also provide an often used fodder.

See also

• List of Southern African indigenous trees

References

• "Azanza garckeana". Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information. Archived from the original on 2012-02-29. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
• "Azanza garckeana". Ecocrop FAO. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
• Dressler, S.; Schmidt, M. & Zizka, G. (2014). "Azanza garckeana". African plants – a Photo Guide. Frankfurt/Main: Forschungsinstitut Senckenberg.