The Nyala Tree
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
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The Nyala Tree
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<img src="http://www.h2g2.redhotant.com/pillowcase/Njalabom.jpg" align="right" hspace=20 vspace=20 width=360 height=288 alt="A nyala tree">
First let us talk about the name of this tree. It is named after the Nyala, pronounced n-yala, not ny-ala.
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So what's a Nyala? The Nyala is a kind of antelope - <i>Tragelaphus angasi</i> - that has a very limited distribution in southeast Africa. It is an exceedingly beautiful creature, and it often frequents large rivers in savannah areas. The Nyala Tree itself grows on the banks of such rivers, and the nyala often eats its leaves as well as fruit that drop on the ground. Because of this association, the tree has been named after the antelope.
</p>
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The tree itself carries the scientific name <i>Xanthocercis zambesiaca</i>. The picture shows a specimen that stands on the banks of the Sand River in the Messina Nature Reserve, photographed during a dry winter. This is one of the biggest tree species of the savannah regions of sub-Saharan Africa. It favors hot, low-lying river valleys, such as those of the Limpopo and the Zambesi rivers. While the surrounding savannah contains mostly small, scruffy-looking trees that usually lose their leaves during the dry season, the river banks support a more luxuriant covering of trees, most of them evergreen. But even among these bigger trees the nyala tree stands out. Its foliage is a deep, dark green, and it has a broad, deep and dense crown supported by long, strong, gnarled branches and a short but often very stout trunk. It reaches a height of 100 ft, but its crown is often broader than 120 ft and frequently so deep that the lowest leaves hang close enough to the ground that small antelope can browse on them.
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These trees do not always grow on river banks. Occasionally large individuals grow in the open, dry bush, where they seem even more conspicuous and impressive. In these cases they usually have long tap-roots that reach down to the water table. Sometimes they grow on and into termite hills. The wood is resistant to attacks by the termites; the tree benefits from their work, because termites always dig tunnels that reach down to the water table, to satisfy their moisture needs. Also termites regulate the temperature of their hills, keeping them (and the roots of the tree that grows into them) warm during cold winter nights and cool during summer heatwaves. If that is not enough, the tunnels of the nest supply the roots with air: oxygen as well as carbon dioxide released by the breathing insects. Termites carry plant matter into their nests forming a compost for their fungus farms; this, as well as the bodies of dead members of the colony, give the tree a nutritious, nitrogen-rich supplement to its diet.
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Interestingly the Nyala Tree belongs to the pea family. Superficially the relationship is not quite clear. It does not look quite like a beanstalk, and instead of pea-like pods it has fruits with a fleshy pulp surrounding a single fruit. But in botany the flowers are the best guide to family affinity, and the small, white, faintly fragrant flowers are sufficiently pea-like in form to firmly fix its classification.
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In the riverince ecosystem the Nyala Tree plays an important function. As one of the largest members of riverine forests it provides roosting and nesting space for large birds such as eagles, owls and hornbills. Monkeys and baboons will also shelter between its branches. Animals as well as humans can find relief from the burning sun in the dense shade cast by its thickly leafy canopy. Many different kinds of game eat its leaves; because they can reach only the lowest branches, this hardly affects the tree. Its new branchlets are limp and hang downwards, so as they grow and lengthen new fodder continues to become available to hungry animals.
</p>
<p>
When the Nyala tree flowers in spring, the sweet scent draws different kinds of insect to it, and they in turn attract insect eating birds. The flowers are followed by a rich crop of fruit. The pulp, though edible, has a somewhat nasty taste, but humans will eat them in times of food scarcity. Sometimes the fruit is wrapped in skins and buried so that it can "ripen" a bit more. After a few weeks it is taken out and the pulp made into a porridge.
</p>
<p>
Although humans aren't particularly keen on Nyala Tree fruit, animals and birds don't seem to mind the taste. Bands of noisy monkeys and baboons and birds such as louries, parrots, fruit pigeons and starlings will scamper around trying to grab what they can. Fruit dropped on the ground get eaten by antelope, pigs and other mammals.
</p>
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The wood of the Nyala tree is fine-grained and attractive, but not much used. The dust irritates people's noses and throats when they work it.
</p>
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Despite being so large and conspicuous, the Nyala tree is not very abundant and poorly known. It is not hard to cultivate, though. It would be a very good idea if people living in the hot, dry bushveld where this tree is native used it for gardens and parks. Though somewhat slow growing, under good conditions it can become a very respectable shade-tree after a few decades, providing comfort that is especially welcome in the unbearable heat of tropical Africa. As a bonus, it will also attract birds and other arboreal creatures. Every game reserve in suitable habitat can benefit from planting a few of these inside and close to rest camps.
<head>
<h1 align=left>
The Nyala Tree
</h1>
</head>
<body>
<p>
<img src="http://www.h2g2.redhotant.com/pillowcase/Njalabom.jpg" align="right" hspace=20 vspace=20 width=360 height=288 alt="A nyala tree">
First let us talk about the name of this tree. It is named after the Nyala, pronounced n-yala, not ny-ala.
</p>
<p>
So what's a Nyala? The Nyala is a kind of antelope - <i>Tragelaphus angasi</i> - that has a very limited distribution in southeast Africa. It is an exceedingly beautiful creature, and it often frequents large rivers in savannah areas. The Nyala Tree itself grows on the banks of such rivers, and the nyala often eats its leaves as well as fruit that drop on the ground. Because of this association, the tree has been named after the antelope.
</p>
<p>
The tree itself carries the scientific name <i>Xanthocercis zambesiaca</i>. The picture shows a specimen that stands on the banks of the Sand River in the Messina Nature Reserve, photographed during a dry winter. This is one of the biggest tree species of the savannah regions of sub-Saharan Africa. It favors hot, low-lying river valleys, such as those of the Limpopo and the Zambesi rivers. While the surrounding savannah contains mostly small, scruffy-looking trees that usually lose their leaves during the dry season, the river banks support a more luxuriant covering of trees, most of them evergreen. But even among these bigger trees the nyala tree stands out. Its foliage is a deep, dark green, and it has a broad, deep and dense crown supported by long, strong, gnarled branches and a short but often very stout trunk. It reaches a height of 100 ft, but its crown is often broader than 120 ft and frequently so deep that the lowest leaves hang close enough to the ground that small antelope can browse on them.
</p>
<p>
These trees do not always grow on river banks. Occasionally large individuals grow in the open, dry bush, where they seem even more conspicuous and impressive. In these cases they usually have long tap-roots that reach down to the water table. Sometimes they grow on and into termite hills. The wood is resistant to attacks by the termites; the tree benefits from their work, because termites always dig tunnels that reach down to the water table, to satisfy their moisture needs. Also termites regulate the temperature of their hills, keeping them (and the roots of the tree that grows into them) warm during cold winter nights and cool during summer heatwaves. If that is not enough, the tunnels of the nest supply the roots with air: oxygen as well as carbon dioxide released by the breathing insects. Termites carry plant matter into their nests forming a compost for their fungus farms; this, as well as the bodies of dead members of the colony, give the tree a nutritious, nitrogen-rich supplement to its diet.
</p>
<p>
Interestingly the Nyala Tree belongs to the pea family. Superficially the relationship is not quite clear. It does not look quite like a beanstalk, and instead of pea-like pods it has fruits with a fleshy pulp surrounding a single fruit. But in botany the flowers are the best guide to family affinity, and the small, white, faintly fragrant flowers are sufficiently pea-like in form to firmly fix its classification.
</p>
<p>
In the riverince ecosystem the Nyala Tree plays an important function. As one of the largest members of riverine forests it provides roosting and nesting space for large birds such as eagles, owls and hornbills. Monkeys and baboons will also shelter between its branches. Animals as well as humans can find relief from the burning sun in the dense shade cast by its thickly leafy canopy. Many different kinds of game eat its leaves; because they can reach only the lowest branches, this hardly affects the tree. Its new branchlets are limp and hang downwards, so as they grow and lengthen new fodder continues to become available to hungry animals.
</p>
<p>
When the Nyala tree flowers in spring, the sweet scent draws different kinds of insect to it, and they in turn attract insect eating birds. The flowers are followed by a rich crop of fruit. The pulp, though edible, has a somewhat nasty taste, but humans will eat them in times of food scarcity. Sometimes the fruit is wrapped in skins and buried so that it can "ripen" a bit more. After a few weeks it is taken out and the pulp made into a porridge.
</p>
<p>
Although humans aren't particularly keen on Nyala Tree fruit, animals and birds don't seem to mind the taste. Bands of noisy monkeys and baboons and birds such as louries, parrots, fruit pigeons and starlings will scamper around trying to grab what they can. Fruit dropped on the ground get eaten by antelope, pigs and other mammals.
</p>
<p>
The wood of the Nyala tree is fine-grained and attractive, but not much used. The dust irritates people's noses and throats when they work it.
</p>
<p>
Despite being so large and conspicuous, the Nyala tree is not very abundant and poorly known. It is not hard to cultivate, though. It would be a very good idea if people living in the hot, dry bushveld where this tree is native used it for gardens and parks. Though somewhat slow growing, under good conditions it can become a very respectable shade-tree after a few decades, providing comfort that is especially welcome in the unbearable heat of tropical Africa. As a bonus, it will also attract birds and other arboreal creatures. Every game reserve in suitable habitat can benefit from planting a few of these inside and close to rest camps.
