''Piliostigma thonningii'' is a species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

legume Legumes are plants in the pea family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seeds of such plants. When used as a dry grain for human consumption, the seeds are also called pulses. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for human consum ...

family,

Fabaceae Fabaceae () or Leguminosae,International Code of Nomen ...

. It belongs to the subfamily

Cercidoideae Cercidoideae is a subfamily in the pea family, Fabaceae. Well-known members include ''Cercis'' (redbuds), including species widely cultivated as ornamental trees in the United States and Europe, '' Bauhinia'', widely cultivated as an ornamental t ...

. Common names of this tree include camel's foot tree, monkey bread, monkey biscuit tree, "

Rhodesia Rhodesia ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state, unrecognised state in Southern Africa that existed from 1965 to 1979. Rhodesia served as the ''de facto'' Succession of states, successor state to the ...

n ''

Bauhinia ''Bauhinia'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and ...

''" or "wild bauhinia" (previously placed in that genus).

Description

''Piliostigma thonningii'' grows quickly relative to some other tree species it competes with, and relies on rapid re-growth to survive bush fires. It grows in African wooded grassland or woodland. It grows up to tall, with leaves that are similar to a ''

bauhinia ''Bauhinia'' () is a large genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Cercidoideae and tribe Bauhinieae, in the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers Gaspard and ...

'', but it differs from ''bauhinia'' by having separate male and female flowers on separate trees. The flower petals are white and the thick, calyces (or seed pods) are covered in rust coloured hairs. The pods do not spilt (like other tree pods) but fall from the branches, then rot whilst on the ground, releasing the seeds. The inner bark of the tree has been used to make rope.

References

Other sources

External links

Species reference at AgroForestryTree Database.

FAO description

Images on iSpot
{{Taxonbar, from=Q12156112 Cercidoideae