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Celtis africana Burm.f.
Family: Celtidaceae or Cannabaceae (formerly Ulmaceae) Common names: White Stinkwood (English); Witstinkhout (Afrikaans): Mothibadifate (Northern Sotho); umVumvu
(Xhosa, Swazi and Zulu); Modutu (Tswane); Mpopano (Venda).
SA tree number: 39
Description: The trunk of C. africana is grey and smooth in texture.
The leaves, which are generally deciduous, are egg-shaped with serrated edges and have three
prominent main veins branching from the base of the leaf.
The flowers, which are pollinated by bees, are small, green and inconspicuous. Male and female,
or bisexual, flowers are borne on the same tree followed by vast quantities of small yellow
berries.
Distribution: Of the approximately 150 species of Celtis world-wide, only 3 species occur in
South Africa, with C. africana occurring from the Cape Peninsula northwards as far north as
Ethiopia.
It occurs in mist-belt and coastal forests, as well as in woodlands and grasslands and, not
surprisingly, it varies greatly in form; from a shrub to a large tree up to 30 m high
Name derivation: The genus name Celtis is an ancient name in the Mediterranean region and
was used by Pliny the Elder (23 AD – 79 AD) for one of the plants reputed to be the lotus fruit of
the ancients (the related Celtis australis but please see notes below).
The specific name africana paired with the generic results in the descriptive phrase “the Celtis
from Africa”.
It is not related to the Black Stinkwood (Ocotea bullata) and earned its common name of
"stinkwood" from the unpleasant smell of the freshly sawn wood, which has been used for the
manufacture of planks and furniture, although it is soft and of no commercial value.
Ecology and uses: The small, round fruits are produced in abundance and are eaten by many
bird species, as well as by baboons and monkeys.
The species is an insect haven and is the host tree for the larvae of the African snout butterfly
(Libythea labdaca). Magical powers are attached to C. africana in certain local cultures.
The species is also notable for germinating under other plants and trees and is one of the few
indigenous plants that will survive (but not necessarily thrive) in an exotic Eucalyptus or Pinus
plantation.
Cultivation: It is a very useful tree in cultivation as it is attractive, fast growing and tough. It
reaches 10-12 m in gardens and can withstand frost and drought.
Notes: Hybrids with and between Celtis africana, the exotic speciesC. australis (from southern
Europe) and C. sinensis (from Asia) are a problem in and around urban areas and in the nursery
industry. There is some contention regarding the classification of the genus’ relationships at
family level.
In Homers Odyssey a people known as the Lotus Eaters (or Lotophagi) would consume the fruit
of the “lotus” which would induce forgetfulness and languor. The exact plant species considered
to have these startling effects is unknown, other contenders for the lotus label are the unrelated
Ziziphus lotus and Diospyros lotus. The fruit of Celtis africana, or related species for that matter,
do not have such effect in reality however, although they are edible, mealy and very slightly
sweet.
References:
• Coates Palgrave, K. & Coates Palgrave, M. 2002. Keith Coates Palgrave’s trees of
southern Africa edn 3. Struik, Cape Town.
• Joffe, P. 2001. Creative gardening with indigenous plants - a South African guide. Briza
Publications, Pretoria.
• Van Wyk, B. & Van Wyk, P. 1997. Field guide to the trees of southern Africa. Struik, Cape
Town.
• Van Wyk, B., van den Berg, E., Coates Palgrave, M. & Jordaan, M. 2011. Dictionary of
names for southern African trees. Briza Publications, Pretoria.
• Venter, F. and Venter, J. 1996. Making the most of indigenous trees. Briza Publications,
Pretoria.
Web Resources:
South African National Biodiversity Institute website, “Plants of South Africa”.
http://www.plantzafrica.com/frames/plantsfram.htm. Site accessed 22/01/2013
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis. and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis_australis. Site
accessed 22/01/2013.
Found in Section F of the Map