Brachystegia tamarindoides

Mu'unze
At Gairezi River on Zimbabwe-Mozambique border
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Brachystegia
Species:
B. tamarindoides
Binomial name
Brachystegia tamarindoides
Synonyms
  • Brachystegia fischeri Taub.
  • Brachystegia glaucescens Hutch. & Burtt Davy
  • Brachystegia microphylla Harms
  • Brachystegia pectinata Sim
  • Brachystegia reticulata Hutch & Burtt Davy

Brachystegia tamarindoides, known as mu'unze and also as the mountain acacia, is a medium-sized tree with smooth grey bark, bluish-green leaves and small creamy-white flowers that produce copious amounts of pollen and nectar. It is almost always very close to upturned umbrella shaped with a partially developed flat top, making it easy to recognise in mixed woodland. In this it differs from most of the other Brachystegia species that have variable shapes. The leaves are feathery in appearance, with around 10-12 leaflets arrayed along each leaf stalk.