Markhamia zanzibarica Seeds
Bell bean tree, Klokkiesboontjieboom
The genus Markhamia was named by Berthold Seeman, in honour of his friend Sir Clements Robert Markham (1830 to 1916), English geographer and traveller, who introduced the famous quinine-yielding cinchona into India. Markhamia belongs in the Bignoniaceae family, a large family full of popular garden trees, shrubs and creepers. Garden plants in this family that are very well known to South African gardeners are jacaranda trees and trumpet creepers. Some southern African indigenous plants in this family are Kigelia africana (sausage tree), Tecoma capensis ( Cape honeysuckle), Podranea ricasoliana (Port St Johns creeper) and Rhigozum obovatum. Markhamia has 10 species that occur mainly in tropical Africa. There are two species found in southern Africa, Markhamia zanzibarica and Markhamia obtusifolia.
Markhamia zanzibarica, a tropical tree with striking flowers and decorative fruits is a small, upright tree with slender, crooked branches and a soft green crown. This South African indigenous tree grows about 3.5 m tall but can reach up to 7 or 8 m. Its bark is grey-brown, smooth and glossy when young and flaky in older trees. The striking flowers are yellow with maroon flecks, bell-shaped, 2 to 3 mm long, with spreading lobes. They appear on the old wood, in racemes, during spring to summer. This is a tropical tree occurring at medium to low altitude from Tanzania and Malawi, south to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, and westward to Botswana, Namibia and the Caprivi Strip. It is found in bushveld, in riverine fringes, and often on rocky ridges and on hill slopes. It is commonly found growing among rocks on the dry northern slopes of the Soutpansberg. The wood is fairly hard and durable, pale brown to yellowish, finely grained and produces a smooth finish. It is used in buildings for roof timbers and to make tool handles. It is well suited for the manufacture of ornaments. The roots are used in traditional medicine to treat backache. Grow it in a warm, sunny spot in well-drained, fertile soil, and give it ample water during the summer. It is relatively slow growing and its small size makes it suitable for small gardens and courtyards.
