16 



natives, whose women we have seen carrying it in sacks for 

 long distances to their kraals, it is well flavoured, and would 

 perhaps be improved by cultivation, but the growth of the 

 tree is very slow. Nothing is certainly known to us of the 

 value of the wood, but it is most likely that it would be found 

 to be useful, as is that of the preceeding and following species. 



Mimusops marginata, N. E. Brown. um-Pumbulo. Sapotaceae. 



A large tree of the coast and midland districts, the fruits are 

 not quite so large as those of M. dispar, and they are differently 

 shaped, being pointed at the apex, and brown, not yellow when 

 ripe, they are edible but not so well liked as those of M. dispar. 

 The wood is hard and valuable, and is also known as " Milk- 

 wood." 



Mimusops obovata, Sond. Masatole. Sapotaceae. 



A smaller tree than any of the species of Mimusops alluded 

 to above, bearing fruits neither so large, nor so palatable as 

 those of M. dispar or M. marginata, but still are edible. The 

 wood is used, but is not much esteemed. There are two other 

 species of Mimusops in the Colony, viz , M. natalensis and M. 

 oleifolia, and it is probable that their fruits are also edible, 

 but we have not met with the trees and have no information 

 about them. 



Odina caffra, Hook. um-Gwenya. Anacardiaceae. 



A large spreading evergreen tree, the fruit is edible, and has 

 been used for preserving. As poles cut from this tree grow 

 readily when planted it has been used as a wind break, the 

 wood has been used for furniture, but the sapwood will not bear 

 exposure. This tree has often been mistaken for Ehebergia 

 capensis, which it much resembles, and both aie popularly 

 known as " Essenhout," or " Essenwood." 



Odina edulis, Sond. um-Toto. Anacardiaceae. 



A small undershrub, the very short stems springing from a 

 thick woody spreading root, the whole plant not reaching more 

 than a foot or so in height. It is usually found on the sides of 

 stony hills, or near edges of w T oods. The fruit is globose in 

 shape, and is edible, but not very tempting to European taste, 

 when ripe it is reddish brown in colour. 



Phoenix reclinata, Jacq. i-Sundu. Palmae. 



This is our commonest indigenous palm, and is found from 

 close to the coast to about 2,000 feet above sea level, the fruits 

 are small and have the flavour of the date, but there is very 

 little pulp covering the seeds, and they are only eaten by 



