Sideroxylon inerme

Sideroxylon inerme
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Sapotaceae
Genus: Sideroxylon
Species:
S. inerme
Binomial name
Sideroxylon inerme
L. (1753)
Synonyms[1]
  • Roemeria inermis (L.) Thunb. (1798)
  • Calvaria inermis (L.) Dubard (1912)

Sideroxylon inerme (aMasethole or white milkwood, Afrikaans: wit-melkhout, Xhosa: Ximafana, Zulu: Umakhwelafingqane)[2] is a southern and eastern African coastal tree, with dense foliage, black berries and small, foetid, greenish flowers. The tree's generic name means "Iron-wood" in Greek, referring to its very hard timber.

It is one of South Africa's "Protected Trees" and several specimens are provincial heritage sites.[3] This is the only member of the genus Sideroxylon in Southern Africa.

  1. ^ Sideroxylon inerme L. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  2. ^ "Protected Trees" (PDF). Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Republic of South Africa. 3 May 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2010.
  3. ^ Sideroxylon inerme in Freddie Bosman' site, from the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.