Schinziophyton rautanenii

Schinziophyton rautanenii (Schinz.) Radcl.-Sm. (Ricinodendron rautanenii Schinz)

Common names

Manketti tree (English); mukusu, mkusu (Bemba/Kunda/Nyanja/Tumbuka); muzinda-njovu (Kunda).

General description and distinguishing characteristics

Schinziophyton rautanenii is a deciduous, medium-sized tree up to 15 m tall with a spreading crown. Bark greyish and smooth when young, darker irregularly cracked when old. Leaves compound, palmate with 5-7 leaflets. Leaflets ovate, oblong or obovate, up to 10 x 5.5 cm, hairless above, and with grey, woolly hairs below. Margin with small, scattered glandular teeth. Leaf stalks with one or two black glands on their upper sides. Flowers are white, the male flowers produced in long sprays, the female flowers in short ones. Both sexes are borne on different trees and produced in October to November. Fruit an ovoid, indehiscent, hard-shelled capsule, 4.5 x 3 cm, rather like an almond kernel, within which the pulp surrounds a very hard nut containing one seed (February-March).

Range and habitat

Schinziophyton rautanenii is widespread on Kalahari sand in the west of Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and Angola; in other regions it is confined to rocky slopes. Reaching a great height and large girth this magnificent tree is rare in the Luangwa Valley. The most easily seen examples are three very tall specimens growing together beside the Kasweta road and just south of the Katete River about four kilometres up from the Katete Bridge. These three trees are growing on sandy soils on high ground away from the alluvial area.