About Xanthocercis zambesiaca (Baker) Dumaz-le-Grand
Xanthocercis zambesiaca, commonly called the nyala tree or mshatu, is a legume species in the Fabaceae family native to the southern subtropics of Africa. It grows in seasonally hot, low-lying river valleys located in Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Nyala trees grow on alluvium or termite mounds, where they have access to abundant moisture and deep, fertile soil. They grow sparsely in the eastern lowveld of Southern Africa, but grow more prolifically in the Limpopo valley and along the Shashe River in the Tuli Block, where they are known as mshatu trees. Its foliage and fruit, which ripen during autumn and winter, serve as food for a variety of vertebrates. The nyala tree is a phreatophyte, meaning its presence indicates the presence of groundwater. Nyala tree wood can be worked and produces a smooth finish, but working it irritates the worker’s nose and throat during the process.
