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Mopane (Colophospermum mopane)
Photo: Roger Culos, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

On the map in 4 countries tree

Mopane

Colophospermum mopane

Family: Fabaceae

On our map this plant appears in 4 countries and ranks highest in: Angola, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia.

A tree or shrub of the legume family, growing to 10–18 m, found on the hot, dry plains of southern Africa. Its distinctive leaves consist of two leaflets resembling butterfly wings, which fold together in the heat to reduce water loss. It forms almost single-species woodlands and thickets. Its very hard, termite-resistant wood is used to build huts and fences, and its leaves feed the caterpillars of the mopane emperor moth – a prized source of protein.

Description from: Angola.

More: Wikipedia (en) Wikipedia (pl) Plants of the World Online (Kew)

Significance in each country

  1. Angola no. 5 of 10 native

    Mopane woodlands are the typical landscape of Angola’s dry south, home to the pastoral Himba, Mucubal and Kuanyama peoples; the tree gives them building material, firewood and fodder for cattle in the dry season.

  2. Zimbabwe no. 5 of 8 native

    In Zimbabwe’s mopane woodlands feed the caterpillars of Gonimbrasia belina, which are collected and dried as madora (in Shona) or amacimbi (in Ndebele) – a cheap, protein-rich delicacy sold at markets all over the country.

  3. Botswana no. 6 of 8 native

    The caterpillars of the emperor moth Gonimbrasia belina, called phane in Botswana, are gathered from mophane leaves after the rains, gutted, boiled and dried; they are a prized, protein-rich food and a market commodity.

  4. Zambia no. 8 of 8 native

    The mopane woodlands of South Luangwa National Park and the Zambezi valley are a stronghold for elephants, which readily browse the leaves and branches of these trees.