CHAPTER XIII 



THREE PRODUCTS OF INHAMBANE 



TniCHiLiA EMETIC A, popularly called Mafurreira 

 from the native word mafnrra, meaning oil 

 or fat of any kind (Swahili, viafuta), grows 

 profusely in Inhambane in the populous coast 

 strip. The value of the average annual crop 

 in that district aloiie cannot be less than 

 1:150,000, yet only about i'7,000 worth are 

 gathered. The belt extends over the adminis- 

 trative boundary into the region of the lower 

 Limpopo and on to Lourenzo Marques. In 

 this tree the country possesses an enormous 

 source of wealth as yet practically untapped. 

 Forty to fifty kilogrammes of dry seed per 

 tree is not an uncommon yield, and individual 

 trees have been known to produce 90 kilos. 

 They flower in September, seed in December 

 and January, bearing at about eight years 

 old. Mafurreira is a dicecious tree, but the 

 males can be distinguished by their having 



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