Myths and Legends of SA Trees

[pietpetoors]

A lady who listened to the 702 talk is busy writing a book on the Myths and Legends of South African trees.
She needs our assistance. If you know about any myths or legends relating to South African trees PLEASE post it here.

[george]

A half-human tree

Halfmens tree = Amy SchoemanThe succulent tree known as the halfmens (Pachypodium namaquanum) is cast as a descendant of humankind in Khoekhoe legend. Fugitives from war were changed into trees, so it is told, to relieve their suffering in a hot waterless land.

Seen against the skyline from a distance, clumps of them do look somewhat like people frozen in motion, their spiny trunks forever inclined northwards, with leaves on top like mops of crinkly hair. Their common name, the Afrikaans word for half-human, is used in English as well.

Endemic to a small part of the Namib, rocky desert on both sides of the Orange River, the halfmens grows on steep mountainsides. It is a stem succulent, slightly bottle-shaped and devoid of branches, that reaches a height of 1-2m.

Under threat from illegal collectors, the species is internationally protected. It is classified as highly endangered under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (Cites).

[daleen]

Thanks for the information of the halfmens. That is what I am looking for. There is also another tree specifically it is called by many names and does not get chopped down, I wonder why. I think its botanical name is Boscia albitrunca, witgat of mpiepie of koffieboom. What does a white band plastic around a tree mean? Asseblief as julle van iemand weet wat hierdie stories dalk ken, laat my weet, hierdie informasie moet opgeteken word. Dankie baie

[BenHur]

Welkom Daleen. Dit klink na 'n oulike boek waarmee jy besig is. Sterkte.