About Dalbergia armata E.Mey.
Dalbergia armata E.Mey. grows as thick ropes up to 15 cm across, with a total length ranging from 10 to 30 m. These ropes bear sturdy, sideways-directed spines that may grow in clusters and encircle the stems. The spines can reach up to 10 cm long, and hook onto adjacent vegetation to guide the plant toward the forest canopy. The bark of this species is dark greyish brown. Its alternate leaves grow up to 8 cm long, are finely compound, and have a bluish green colour on their upper surfaces. Each leaf holds 21 to 41 oblong leaflets: 10 to 20 pairs plus one terminal leaflet. The leaflets are arranged either sub-opposite or alternately along the leaf. The leaflets close during overcast weather, and the foliage is favoured by browsing animals. The flowers of Dalbergia armata E.Mey. are very small, sweetly scented, and creamy-white in colour. They emerge in early summer, and are borne in dense terminal or axillary clusters. The small, thin seed pods measure approximately 5 by 2 cm. They have a papery texture, and range in colour from lemon-yellow to pale brown. The indehiscent fruit each hold 1 to 3 seeds, and are often produced in large quantities. They appear in clusters on horizontal branch tips starting from late summer. This species occurs widely across coastal, montane or riparian forests of southern Tanzania, Mozambique, Eswatini and eastern South Africa. Within South Africa, it is found in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces. The Hluhluwe River is named after this species, due to how common it grows on the banks of the river. Dalbergia armata E.Mey. is virtually confined to White’s Tongaland-Pondoland centre of endemism.
