Catha edulis Seeds - Bushman's tea, Boesmanstee, Khat ~ Ethnobotanical

Catha edulis Seeds

Common names: Bushman's tea (Eng.; Boesmanstee (Afr.); umHlwazi (Zulu); iQgwaka (Xhosa); Khat (Arabic)

This is a very attractive, small deciduous tree, up to 10m tall, with bright green leaves that turn to a pleasing yellowish color in autumn. Its beauty is also complemented by its upright crown, and somewhat drooping branches, resembling a eucalyptus from a distance. The stem is usually straight and slender, with a narrow crown. The bark is light grey, becoming darker. It is rough and often cracked. The young stems are pinkish in color. The leaves of this tree have a leathery texture and are shiny bright green on the upper surface and paler beneath. C. edulis is found in woodlands and on rocky outcrops. It is scattered in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, mostly from the mistbelt, moving inland. It is also found in the Western Cape, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, Mozambique and through to tropical Africa and the Arab countries.
The generic name Catha is derived from the Arabic common name for this plant khat and the specific name edulis is a Greek word meaning 'edible'. It is derived from the leaves of this tree being used in teas by the Bushmen, as it contains a habit-forming stimulant. Bushman's tea is attractive in the garden. It can be planted in groups or in mixed beds where it gives height all year round and beauty in the autumn months. The plant is widely used against respiratory diseases. In tropical Africa and Arab countries it provides the habit-forming stimulant found in the leaves. In South Africa, this plant’s foliage is regarded as a drug, since the drug cathinone, which is extracted from it, is listed in the Drug Act. Trading in the foliage of Catha edulis or processed cathinone is illegal in South Africa. It is however not widely used in this country, except by some groups of people from the Eastern Cape. This plant is often sold in nurseries and used by landscapers because of it's beautiful autumn colors. The wood of Bushman's tea is also used for a number of purposes. It is hard and fine-grained, and therefore is good for firewood and furniture. The bark is also used as an insect repellent and the stem for fence poles.

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