Expedition no. 46: Tree Society outing to Harava Dam: 20 Nov 2011

The following account has been taken from Tree Life no. 377 (January 2012)

Harava is not a site that we visit regularly, in fact our last visit was on the 21st of November 2004, 7 years back. Adverse reports on the state of the road may have contributed to this negative perception. In fact we cruised along very nicely and the few raw spots we encountered bore no resemblance to some of the huge pot holes in the heart of the great city of Harare.

So we arrived at the picnic site where we were greeted by Tony Allegria, chairman of the bird society who was somewhat impatient with our lack of Swiss time keeping accuracy.

The picnic site was reasonably clean, even though the old principle: “Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but your footsteps” could not adequately describe the place.

On this auspicious occasion we were led by no less than Meg Coates Palgrave herself. Thank you Meg.

Meg provided us with photocopies from the Flora Zimbabwe website (http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/) listing the species we could expect to see. Thanks to Meg’s expertise we were able to add another 24 species to that list.

Our visit was mostly concentrated around the picnic site, Meg fearing an invasion of visitors at lunch time.

Somehow, coming from Matabeleland, I always thought that biodiversity was less in Miombo forests, I’m no longer so sure, after all opinions are like underwear, they should be changed regularly.

We identified 45 species in 25 genera.

Anacardiaceae

Lannea discolor

Live-long; Nd: Isigangatsha,

Sh: Chizhenje.

Searsia longipes (Rhus)

Large-leaved Rhus; Nd: Uchane, Inhlokotshiane; Sh: Mudzambuya.

Apocynaceae

Diplorynchus condylocarpon

Wild rubber; Horn pod tree;

Nd: Inkamamasane; Sh: Mutowa.

Caesalpinaceae

Brachystegia spiciformis

Musasa; Nd: Igonde; Sh: Msasa.

Peltophorum africanum

African-wattle; Nd: Umsehla; Sh: Muzeze.

Senna singueana

Winter-flowering Senna; Sh: Muremberembe

Capparaceae

Boscia salicifolia

Willow-leaved Sheperds-tree; Sh: Mudemara; Tonga: Kabombwe.

Celestracea

Mystroxylum aethiopicum

Kooboo-berry; Nd: Umgugudu; Sh: Mudangwa.

Celtidaceae

Celtis africana

White stinkwood; Nd: Umdlautu; Sh: Kamutuna

Chrysobalanaceae

Parinari curatellifolia

Mobola-plum; Nd: Umkhuna; Sh: Muhacha; Karanga: Muchakata.

Combretaceae

Combretum collinum

Variable combretum; Nd: Umkhisikazi; Sh: Maruka.

Combretum molle

Velvet bushwillow; Nd: Umbondo; Sh: Mubondo.

Combretum zeyheri

Large fruited bushwillow; Nd/ umbondo; Sh: Muchenja.

Erythroxylaceae

Erythroxylum emarginatum

African Coca-tree. Sh: Rundo; Tonga: Mwenge.

Euphorbiaceae

Croton gratissimus

Lavender Croton; Nd: Inkiza emhlope; Sh: Mubangwa.

Flueggea virosa

Snowberry-tree; Nd: Umhakawuwe; Sh: Muchagauwe.

Pseudolachnostylis

maprouneifolia.

Kudu-berry; Duikerberry; Nd: Umqhombampunzi; Sh: Mudyamhembwe.

Flacourtaceae

Dovyalis zeyheri

Kei-apple; Nd: Umqokolo; Sh: Munhungura.

Flacourtia indica

Governor's plum; Nd: Umqokolo, Umthunduluka; Sh: Mududwe.

Lamiaceae

Clerodendrum glabrum (eriophyllum)

Hairy white cat's whiskers; Nd: Umdolo; Sh: Manyakachembere.

Vitex payos

Chocolate-berry; Nd: Umtswankela;

Sh: Mudyagava.

Meliaceae

Ekebergia capensis

Woodland dogplum; Sh: Mudyamofu.

Mimosoideae

Dichrostachys cinerea

Sickle-bush; Chinese lantern; Nd: Ugagu; Sh: Mupangara.

Moraceae

Ficus burkei

Common wild fig; Nd: Intenjane; Sh: Mutsamvi.

Ficus sur

Broom-cluster Fig; Nd: Umkhiwa; Sh:Mukuyu.

Myrtaceae

Syzygium cordatum

Waterberry; Nd: Umdoni, Imiswi; Sh: Muisu, Mukute.

Ochnaceae

Ochna puberula

Granite ochna; Nd: Umnyelenyele;

Sh: Muminu.

Ochna pulchra

Peeling-bark Ochna; Nd: Umnyelenyele;

Sh: Muminu.

Olacaceae

Ximenia caffra ss caffra

Sourplum; Nd: Umthunduluka;

Sh: Mutengeni.

Oleaceae

Olea europea ss africana

African olive; Wild olive; Nd: Umnquma; Sh: Mupfungo.

Papilionoideae

Dalbergia nitidula

Purplewood Dalbergia; Sh: Murima;

Mundulea sericea

Cork-bush; Nd: Inkiza-emaqaqa, Umsindlandlovu; Sh: Mupumhamhene

Pterocarpus angolensis

Kiaat; Mukwa; Bloodwood; Nd: Umvagazi; Sh: Mubwamakovo.

Pterocarpus rotundifolia

Round-leaved Bloodwood. Nd: Umdlandlovu; Sh: Muchirara.

Passifloraceae

Adenia gummifera

Snake-climber, Monkey-rope; Sh: Muwore.

Pittosporaceae

Pittospermum viridiflorum

Pittosporum; Nd: Iyoyi; Sh: Mubanda.

Rubiaceae

Canthium lactescens

Gummy canthium.

Coptosperma neurophyllum (Tarenna neurophylla)

Koppje butterspoon; Nd: Umgebe;

Sh: Mupfupa

Gardenia volkensii

Woodland Gardenia; Nd: Umvalasangwane; Sh: Mutara.

Rothmannia fischeri ss fischeri

Woodland Rothmannia;

Vangueria infausta

Wild-medlar; Nd: .Umthofu; Sh: Munzvirwa.

Strychnaceae

Strychnos cocculoides

Corky-bark Monkey-orange; Nd: Umkhemetshwane; Sh: Mutamba-Mazi

Strychnos spinosa

Spiny Monkey-orange; Nd: Umhlali; Sh: Mutamba -mun'hono.

Urticaceae

Pouzolzia mixta

Snuggle-leaf; Soap nettle; Velcro plant; Nd: Isikhukhukhu; Sh: Munanzwa.

That is what I remember, I have probably missed a few but I think that we had a very profitable outing, thank you Meg.

J-P Felu