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Mr. J. D. Keet, District Forest Officer, Knysna, writes regarding O. cymosa : 
in all forests in Knysna and Zitzikamma Districts, mostly in forests on the coastal plateau 
at elevations of 700 to 900 ft. approximately, less frequent in the forests on the foothills 
and mountain ravines and scarce in the coastal scrub. Its total range is from 300-400 to 
2000 ft. approximately. It is comparatively intolerant of shade and superflous soil moisture, 
and generally avoids cool slopes, ravines. low-lying ground, and streams. It is often a fore- 
runner of the forest-like ‘ Keur’ (Virgilia capensis), * ® Beech’ (Myrsine melanophleos), ete., and 
like the Sneezewood (Ptaerocylou utile), it prefers the crests of ridges, rocks, and stony 
ground. Other conditions being suitable, it grows equally well on ‘soils originating from 
Table Mountain Sandstone, Bokkeveld, C onglomerate, and old sand-dunes (2). The result 
is that it is found mostly on ridges on the north and west slopes near the crest of a ridge, 
the edge of the forest, and fre guently in small groups or as isolated trees in the ` fijnbos.’ 
It is a medium-sized tree in height and usually in bole. The thickest | have measured 
is 15 ft. in girth, the largest bole 32 ft., and the greatest height 70 ft. (estimated). The 
thicker trees are often somewhat gnarle d, fluted, and buttressed, and with unsound heart- 
wood. Where exposed to the full hght it forms full-foliaged and much-branched symetrical 
crowns on low stems. This is generally the case in older trees which have been a fore- 
runner of the forest. The bark is thin, usually dark, and decorticating in scales on the lower 
part of stems of older trees; sometimes reddish or brownish pigment shows in the cracks 
and under the scales. Bark on the smaller branches smooth and grey. At a glance in the 
forest the bark may sometimes be confused with that of ` Quar ’ (Plectronia obovata). The 
wood is used in wagon work (such as felloes, spokes, long-wagon poles), fencing and tele- 
graph poles, railway sleepers, furniture, etc. The plant coppices freely, and coppice shoots 
are Vigorous on small and medium sized trees, but usually too dense, in which case all may 
die back at a height of 6-8 ft.. when fewer will reach pole size in twenty to twenty- -five 
vears. On stools of trees felled in 1917 at Harkerville the coppice 13 now 6-8 ft. high. Seed. 
lings occur sparingly in open space in worked-out forests and in the ‘ fijnbos’ edge, but 
are absent in dense forest. Several attempts to germinate the seeds in nurseries have 
either failed completely or given very poor results. Seedlings and saplings in the forest 
are fairly fast growing. In the forest a rough and ready test by which the tree may be 
recognized is the strong prussic acid or almond smell of the leaves, twigs, freshly- -cut bark, 
and sapwood. The name ` mountain hard pear’ is applied to this species. 
O. radiata. This is said to be the largest tree growing in the Ingeli Forest, and is over 
[2 ft. girth at breast high. The District Forest Officer, Transkeian. Conservancy, reports 
“that the bark has a strong almond-lke smell, and w hen placed in water turns it a blue- 
blackcolour. The wood is used for felloes.” Forester Fegen, in submitting specimens of the 
tree, states: “This tree grows to a large size and is very plentiful in the Izinja, Ngododo, 
Qakama. Maseko. and neighbouring forests, and is not found elsewhere in the district. 
The young wood is quadrangular, usually red in colour, as are the leaves. Flowers white 
with a tinge of purple in small dense clusters. Fruit plum- shaped, reddish purple in colour 
when ripe, is eaten by birds, and I hear by natives. The tree flowers about November 
and the fruit is ripe about July. The wood is reported to be hard and durable, but nothing 
is really known about the tree here. Young trees and saplings are used by the natives.” 
Forester Leigh gives the native name of the tree as `` umpanzi,” and states that sawyers 
confuse this with ` umpanzite ` (Phyllanthus amapodensis) as the wood is the same. It 
is fairly abundant in the Ntsubane Forest. Forester Leigh also states that he only knows 
of it growing between Umsikaba and Umzimhlava Rivers, and that it is a large semi-deciduous 
tree 60-70 ft. high with a girth of 10-12 ft. Old trees grow out in ribs near the ground. 
Used for wagon work (naves. felloes, etc.), and believed to make a good charcoal. It is 
plentiful in parts of the Ntsubane Forest, but on the whole scarce. 
O. ecuminata. We have not been able to obtain any special information about this 
species, but in the Woodbush Forest, Pietersburg, Transvaal, it is known as “ roodebosje.” 
The distribution of the three species found in South Africa is fairly well defined, 
“ Found 
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