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THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis) is a shrub native to the Sonoran and Mojave deserts of Arizona, California, and Mexico. It is the sole species of the family Simmondsiaceae, placed in the order Caryophyllales. It is also known as goat nut, deer nut, pignut, wild hazel, quinine nut, coffeeberry, and gray box bush.[1] Jojoba is grown commercially for its oil, a liquid wax ester, extracted from the seed. The plant has also been used to combat and prevent desertification in the Thar Desert in India.[2]
Jojoba grows to look like1–2 metres (3.3–6.6 ft) tall, with a broad, dense crown. The leaves are opposite, oval in shape, 2–4 centimetres (0.79–1.6 in) long and 1.5–3 centimetres (0.59–1.2 in) broad, thick waxy glaucous gray-green in color. The flowers are small, greenish-yellow, with 5–6 sepals and no petals.
Each plant is single-sex, either male or female, with hermaphrodites being extremely rare. The fruit is an acorn-shaped ovoid, three-angled capsule 1–2 centimetres (0.39–0.79 in) long, partly enclosed at the base by the sepals. The mature seed is a hard oval, dark brown in color and contains an oil (liquid wax) content of approximately 54%. An average-size bush produces 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of pollen, to which few humans are allergic.[1] The female plants produce seed from flowers pollinated by the male plants. Jojoba leaves have an aerodynamic shape, creating a spiral effect, which brings wind-born pollen from the male flower to the female flower. In the Northern Hemisphere, pollination occurs during February and March. In the Southern Hemisphere, pollination occurs during August and September.
Jojoba foliage provides year-round food opportunity for many animals, including deer, javelina, bighorn sheep, and livestock. The nuts are eaten by squirrels, rabbits, other rodents, and larger birds. Only Bailey's Pocket Mouse, however, is known to be able to digest the wax found inside the jojoba nut.
In large quantities, the seed meal is toxic to many mammals, and the indigestible wax acts as a laxative in humans. The Seri, who utilize nearly every edible plant in their territory, do not regard the beans as real food and in the past ate it only in emergencies.[1]
Despite its scientific name Simmondsia chinensis, Jojoba does not originate in China; the botanist Johann Link, originally named the species Buxus chinensis, after misreading Nuttall's collection label "Calif" as "China".
It was the Native Americans who discovered the importance and versatility of jojoba. During the early Eighteenth Century Jesuit missionaries in Baja observed them heating jojoba seeds to soften them. They then used pestle and mortar to create a salve or buttery substance. The latter was applied to the skin and hair to heal and condition. Native Americans also used the salve to soften and preserve animal hides. Pregnant women ate jojoba seeds, believing they assisted during childbirth. Hunters and raiders munched jojoba on the trail to keep hunger at bay.
Jojoba was briefly renamed Simmondsia californica, but priority rules require that the original specific epithet be used. The common name should also not be confused with the similar-sounding Jujube (Ziziphus zizyphus), an unrelated plant.]
Etymology
The name "jojoba" originated with the O'odham people of the Sonoran Desert in the southwestern United States, who treated burns with an antioxidant salve made from a paste of the jojoba nut.[1]
Cultivation and uses
Wild jojoba seed market on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona
Jojoba is grown for the liquid wax (commonly called jojoba oil) in its seeds.[3] This oil is rare in that it is an extremely long (C36–C46) straight-chain wax ester and not a triglyceride, making jojoba and its derivative jojoba esters more similar to human sebum and whale oil than to traditional vegetable oils.
Jojoba oil is easily refined to be odorless, colorless and oxidatively stable, and is often used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and as a carrier oil for specialty fragrances. It also has potential use as both a biodiesel fuel for cars and trucks, as well as a biodegradable lubricant.
Plantations of jojoba have been established in a number of desert and semi-desert areas, predominantly in Argentina, Australia, Israel, Mexico, the Palestinian Authority, Peru, and the United States. It is currently the Sonoran Desert's second most economically valuable native plant (overshadowed only by the Washingtonia palms used in horticulture).
Selective breeding is developing plants that produce more beans with higher wax content, as well as other characteristics that will facilitate harvesting.[1]
References
1. ^ a b c d e Steven J. Phillips, Patricia Wentworth Comus (eds.) (2000). A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert. University of California Press. pp. 256–257. ISBN 0-520-21980-5.
2. ^ "Countering Desertification". Wikipedia. Retrieved 2009-06-26.\
3. ^ IENICA "Jojoba" Retrieved on 2011-02-16. (source - retrieved from on //2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
View pictures of this fruit and plant at,
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Hi Everyone:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Kaffir Plum, Harpephyllum caffrum, Various popular names, including South African Wild Plum, Sour plum. This is a common tree along streets in South Africa. very ornamental, branches are brittle in heavy winds. It flowers and fruits from summer to fall. The fruit are red about an inch long, thin skin and sweet flesh. Grown in Florida and Southern California. It is propagated by seed.
It is related to the mango and the cashew nut and is from South Africa. The fruit is red when ripe, but slightly sour. They are used to make jellies and rose wine. However, many trees never produce fruit at all unless they are in close proximity to many others since some trees are male and some are female. They only fruit if pollination can take place.
This tree has not been much studied, but a picture of it with fruit can be viewed at
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Citrus japonica 'Japonica' (common name: Marumi Kumquat or Morgani Kumquat) is a species of Kumquat. It is an evergreen tree. It produces edible golden-yellow colored fruit. The fruit is small and usually round but can be oval shaped. The peel has a sweet flavor but the fruit has a sour center. The fruit can be eaten raw and but mainly used to make marmalade and jelly. It is grown as an ornamental plant and can be used in bonsai. This plant is symbolized as good luck and are presented during the Chinese new year. It's more commonly cultivated than most other kumquats as it is cold tolerant. It can be kept as a houseplant. (source - retrieved fromen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citrus_japonica_%27Japonica%27 on 1/17/2013)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A small, thorny evergreen tree or shrub usually reaching 2-4 m in height. Branches angular when young and later rounded. Foliage dense and dark green, fruit a subglobose berry, 1-2 cm in diameter and orange to golden-yellow when fully ripe. USES The acidic fruit is eaten fresh or prepared in chutneys, marmelades, jellies or preserved in syrup or candied. It is rich in pectin and vitamin C. The thin skin is also edible. A liqueur can be prepared from the fruits and the fruit also has medicinal properties. The plant can be grown as a hedges and as an ornamental. GROWING PERIOD Perennial. (source - retrieved from ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/cropView?id=1110on 1/17/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to /]www.jw.org].
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Hi Everyone:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Karanda, Carissa carandas is a species of flowering shrub in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It produces berry-sized fruits that are commonly used as a condiment or additive to Indian pickles and spices. It is a hardy, drought-tolerant plant that thrives well in a wide range of soils. Common names include karonda , karamardhaka (Sanskrit), vakkay (Telugu), kalakai (Tamil), and also less common are karau(n)da, karanda, or karamda. It is called kerenda in Malaya, karaunda in Malaya and India; Bengal currant or Christ's thorn in South India; nam phrom, or namdaeng in Thailand; and caramba, caranda, caraunda and perunkila in the Philippines.[1] In Assam it is called Karja tenga. (source - retrieved from on 1/17/2013)
Pictures of this evergreen tree can be viewed at
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Distribution
It grows naturally in the Himalayas at elevations of 300 to 1800 meters, in the Siwalik Hills, the Western Ghats and in Nepal and Afghanistan. It flourishes well on lands with high temperatures. At present it is grown on a limited scale in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, regions in India. It is also found in the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests, an ecoregion.
Propagation
The plant is propagated through seed in August and September. Inarching and budding can also be practiced for vegetative propagation. Cuttings may also succeed. Planting is done with the first shower of monsoon at a depth of 1.5 meters. Plants raised from seed start bearing two years after planting. Flowering starts in March and the fruit ripens from July to September in North India.
Uses
The fruit is a rich source of iron and contains a fair amount of Vitamin C. It is an antiscorbutic and sometimes used for anaemia. Mature fruit contains pectin and so along being useful for making pickle, it is an ingredient in jelly, jam, syrup and chutney. Ripe fruits exude a white latex when severed from the branch.
The roots of the plant are heavily branched and make it suitable for stabilizing eroding slopes. (source - retrieved from on 1/17/2013)
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
Now to know the truth, go to:
1)
2)
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5)
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Hi Everyone:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Karanda, Carissa carandas is a species of flowering shrub in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It produces berry-sized fruits that are commonly used as a condiment or additive to Indian pickles and spices. It is a hardy, drought-tolerant plant that thrives well in a wide range of soils. Common names include karonda , karamardhaka (Sanskrit), vakkay (Telugu), kalakai (Tamil), and also less common are karau(n)da, karanda, or karamda. It is called kerenda in Malaya, karaunda in Malaya and India; Bengal currant or Christ's thorn in South India; nam phrom, or namdaeng in Thailand; and caramba, caranda, caraunda and perunkila in the Philippines.[1] In Assam it is called Karja tenga. (source - retrieved from on 1/17/2013)
Pictures of this evergreen tree can be viewed at
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
Distribution
It grows naturally in the Himalayas at elevations of 300 to 1800 meters, in the Siwalik Hills, the Western Ghats and in Nepal and Afghanistan. It flourishes well on lands with high temperatures. At present it is grown on a limited scale in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, regions in India. It is also found in the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests, an ecoregion.
Propagation
The plant is propagated through seed in August and September. Inarching and budding can also be practiced for vegetative propagation. Cuttings may also succeed. Planting is done with the first shower of monsoon at a depth of 1.5 meters. Plants raised from seed start bearing two years after planting. Flowering starts in March and the fruit ripens from July to September in North India.
Uses
The fruit is a rich source of iron and contains a fair amount of Vitamin C. It is an antiscorbutic and sometimes used for anaemia. Mature fruit contains pectin and so along being useful for making pickle, it is an ingredient in jelly, jam, syrup and chutney. Ripe fruits exude a white latex when severed from the branch.
The roots of the plant are heavily branched and make it suitable for stabilizing eroding slopes. (source - retrieved from on 1/17/2013)
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
Now to know the truth, go to:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth."Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Hi Everyone:
Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Karoo Boer Bean, Schotia afra var. angustifolia, (Karoo Boerboon).
Seeds are edible: evidently they can be eaten raw when they are green, and when they are mature they are cooked and pounded.
Publications
* van Wyk, B.-E. & Gericke, N. 2000. People's Plants. A Guide to Useful Plants of Southern Africa. Briza Publications, Pretoria. (source - retrieved from on 3/30/2013)
A highly attractive ornamental tree from Southern Africa also having edible seeds. Often grown for its beautiful, red, nectar rich flowers which attract birds. Its seeds are said to be edible both when green and when mature. A small, bushy tree to just 10-15 feet. (source - retrieved from on //2013)
This is a small tree, often with multiple branches, growing to 15-25 feet tall and spreading wider than tall. It has dark green, small narrow leaflets and clusters of red flowers in late spring and early summer. These flowers produce a copious amount of nectar, which attracts birds and are followed by large rounded green seed pods that age to black. It is these seed that gave this and other indigenous South African plants with edible seeds the name Boerboon, which was later translated to Boer Bean. Dr. Francescho Franceschi was credited with the introduction of Schotia afra into cultivation in the U.S though we are not sure whether he introduced the coastal variety afra or this variety angustifolia, which comes from inland areas of Namaqualand and Namibia. In these locales its typical habitat is along seasonal dry riverbeds. The name angustifolia, meaning narrow leaves, is fitting as the many leaflets (up to 18 pairs) are as thin as 5/32 of an inch (4 mm). Plant in full sun in a well-drained dry soil and water occasionally though, once established it can thrive with no supplemental irrigation and little care. It is hardy to 20-25° F. This tree is noted as not messy and its roots are not invasive or destructive. The name Schotia honors Richard van der Schot, the chief gardener of the Imperial Garden at Schönbrun Austria This description of Schotia afra var. angustifolia is based on our research and our observations of this plant growing in the nursery, in our own garden and in other garden
Habit and Cultural Information
Category:
Tree
Family: Caesalpiniaceae (~Fabales)
Origin: South Africa (Africa)
Flower
Color: Red
Bloomtime: Spring/Summer
Synonyms: [Guaiacum afrum]
Height: 15-25 feet
Width: 15-30 feet
Exposure: Full Sun
Drought Tolerant: Yes
Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F
(source - retrieved from on 3/30/2013)
This delightful, small, water-wise tree is a must for the home gardener who wants an attractive evergreen tree. The tree is not messy and does not have a destructive root system. It is ideal for attracting nectar-seeking birds during the hot, dry, Western Cape summers. The trees look spectacular when in full flower next to the drabness of the surrounding summer vegetation.
Description and Ecology
The tree is small in stature (max. height 5 m), evergreen, with rigid branches and has a gnarled trunk. The flowers are numerous, bright red to pink in colour and are borne in small clusters during the months of February to March. They are distributed throughout the tree.
Flowers produce copious amounts of nectar which attract birds, especially the Lesser Double-collared Sunbird and Malachite Sunbird. The butterfly Deudorix antalis breeds in the tree.
Flowers are followed by attractive, large, lime green to pink seedpods which turn brown when ripe. The seed is dispersed through an explosive seedpod, which when dry, catapults the seeds great distances from the parent plant. Seeds are produced in May and June of each year. Under normal circumstances the seeds would germinate in moist soil in late spring after the winter rains.
Distribution
The trees often occur along the banks of dry streams and small rivers in the Little Karoo, the drier areas of Eastern Cape and the southern part of Western Cape.
Name
The genus Schotia was named in honour of Richard van der Schot, chief gardener of the Imperial Garden at Schönbrun. The name boerboon was given to certain indigenous seeds that are edible. The word huil (cry in English) is due to the nectar that drips or weeps from the flowers.
Schotia afra var. afra is in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae. All the members of this subfamily have pinnately compound, alternate leaves. Leaflets are more than three terminally. The stipules are present.
Uses
This tree can be used as a shade and ornamental tree. The leaves are browsed by stock. The seeds are edible either green, or mature. They can be used as a meal if roasted and ground. The bark, if ground and soaked in water, can be used as tannin. Schotia afra can be pruned to shape and can be grown as a bonsai specimen.
Growing Schotia afra var. afra
Schotia afra var. afra seed is easy to collect. One has only to look a few metres away from the parent plants to see the masses of flat, light brown seeds lying on top of the soil.
Use flat plastic or wooden seed pans (seed trays). Sow in a semi-shady area about 40% shade. Seeds should sown in well-drained, loamy soil. The general rule for the sowing depth is the same as the thickness of the seed (about 3-5mm). Sow the seeds in late spring, September till mid-October. Water well once a day. Make sure the seeds are not crowded in the pan (this should prevent damping off). The seeds will swell with moisture and should germinate within 7 days. The seedlings should be allowed to develop a tap root and be in their third set of leaves before they are transplanted into planting bags. If they are given enough water and are planted in a rich, well-drained soil, they will develop rapidly.
Tips for planting in the home garden: dig a good hole, 1 m wide by 1 m deep. Use plenty of well-rotted compost and good loam soil in the hole. Add a handful of agricultural lime, super phosphate and 2:3:2 to the soil. Mix it all up well. Plant the sapling. Water well once a week especially if conditions are dry. Stake the tree to stop wind damage. Under ideal conditions you should be able to sit under the tree within five years.
Pests
Watch for aphids/greenfly attacking the new foliage, especially in spring. Spray with a recommended approved aphicide, at least once a week for three weeks to break the insects life cycle, or use environmentally friendly Sunlight liquid soap, about 10 ml in 5 litres water will suffice. Spray liberally on affected parts.
References
* Germishuizen, G., Meyer, N.L., Steenkamp, Y. & Keith, M. (eds) 2006. A Checklist of South African plants. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 41. SABONET, Pretoria.
* VAN WYK, B. & VAN WYK, P. 1997. Field guide to trees of southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town.
* DE WINTER, B., DE WINTER, M. & KILLICK, D.J.B. 1966. Sixty-six Transvaal trees. Government Printers, Pretoria. (source - retrieved from on 3/30/2013)
Schotia brachypetala is a handsome, medium to large tree with a wide-spreading, densely branched, rounded crown. It has a single trunk that sometimes branches low down. Trees can reach a height of 22 m, but most commonly grow 11 to 16 m with a spread of 10 to 15 m. The bark is rough and brown or grey brown. The leaves are compound, with 4 to 6 pairs of leaflets, each with an entire, wavy margin. The foliage is reddish to coppery when young, turning bright green and maturing to a glossy dark green. In warm frost-free areas this tree is evergreen, but in colder regions it is deciduous, losing its leaves for a short period in winter to spring.
The flowers are rich deep red, and are produced in masses, in dense branched heads on the old wood during spring (Aug.-Nov.). The flowering time is somewhat irregular in that a tree in bloom may be a few metres away from one that has no sign of flowers. This irregularity is of value to the nectar feeding birds, and ensures a longer feeding season.
The fruit is a hard, flattened, woody, dark brown pod containing flattened, pale brown approx. 20 mm diameter seeds with a conspicuous yellow aril. The pods split on the tree, maturing during late summer to autumn (Feb.-May).
Schotia brachypetala occurs in warm dry areas in bushveld, deciduous woodland and scrub forest most often on the banks of rivers and streams or on old termite mounds at lower altitudes from around Umtata in the Eastern Cape, through KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Northern Province and into Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
The genus Schotia was named by Jacquin, after his friend and travelling companion, Richard van der Schot, who visited South Africa in the 18th century. The specific name brachypetala means 'having short petals' in Greek and refers to the flowers which are unique among Schotia species in that the petals are partly or completely reduced to linear filaments. The beauty of the flowers is in the brightly coloured calyces (sepals), stamens and pedicels (flower stalks). The flowers produce copious amounts of nectar, which over-flows and drips or 'weeps' from the flowers and may be the origin of the common name, the weeping boer-bean, or huilboerboon in Afrikaans. The name could also be derived from the spittle bug, Ptyelus grossus, a small insect that parasitises Schotia brachypetala, sucking up the sap which it then excretes as froth that collect and drips down the branches, but as it also parasitises other trees, the dripping nectar is the more likely, and attractive, origin. The boerboon / boer-bean (farmer's bean) part of the name was earned by all the species of Schotia, because of their edible seeds, and their resemblance to the original boerboon, Vicia faba, the domestic broadbean.
Schotia is a small genus endemic to southern Africa which proved itself difficult to classify, as the members are variable and hybridise with each other where their ranges overlap. A revision of the genus undertaken by Dr. L.E. Codd in 1956 reduced the 15 described species to four. All four species are restricted to Africa south of the Zambezi River. The other three species are as follows:
* Schotia afra, the Karoo boer-bean or Karooboerboon which has two distinct varieties Schotia afra var. afra which occurs in the coastal districts of the southern and eastern Cape, and Schotia afra var. angustifolia which occurs inland in Namaqualand and Namibia
* Schotia capitata, the dwarf boer-bean or kleinboerboon which occurs along the coast from KwaZulu-Natal, through Swaziland and into Mozambique
* Schotia latifolia the bush boer-bean or bosboerboon which occurs from Riversdale in the Western Cape to near Umtata in the Eastern Cape and in Mpumalanga.
Growing Schotia brachypetala
Schotia brachypetala grows easily, transplants well and blooms whilst still relatively young. On heavy soils in colder climates it can be quite slow, but in warm, frost-free areas in deep sandy soil with plenty of water in summer, it is surprisingly fast, and has been known to reach a height of 12 m in 17 years. For best results, plant in a warm sunny position, in deep, well-aerated sandy soil, add plenty of well-decomposed compost (humus) and water liberally in summer. A general purpose granular fertiliser can be used during the growing season. It is half-hardy to frost, and young plants require protection, but a well-established tree in a protected spot, should be able to withstand a winter minimum of down to -5C (23F).
Propagation is by seed or truncheon cuttings. Schotia brachypetala grows easily from seed, which should be sown in spring to early summer, in a well-drained general-purpose potting soil, placed in a warm but shaded spot and kept moist. Soaking the seed overnight in warm (not hot) water is not necessary for germination to occur, but should hurry things along. Dusting the seed prior to sowing, or drenching after sowing, with a fungicide that combats pre-emergence damping off, although not essential, will increase the percentage germination. Truncheon cuttings can be taken in winter to early spring while the tree is not in active growth, and should placed in well-drained sandy soil in a cool shady spot and kept damp but not wet.
Schotia brachypetala with its decorative foliage, showy flowers and symmetric shapely habit is an excellent tree for gardens and parks, but it is not advisable to plant it over paved areas, car parks etc, because of the dripping nectar in the spring. It nevertheless makes a good shade tree and although it looks good in a large landscape or standing alone as a specimen tree, it is also suitable for smaller gardens.
Schotia brachypetala attracts a wide variety of birds, animals and insects and is a noisy, hive of activity while in flower. Nectar-feeding birds, particularly sunbirds, bees and insects feed on the nectar. Insect-eating birds feed on the insects attracted by the flowers. Starlings, monkeys and baboons eat the flowers, monkeys eat the seeds, birds eat the aril on the seeds and the leaves are browsed by game and black rhino also eat the bark. The latter visitors of course are only expected in game reserves.
Not only is Schotia brachypetala an exceptional ornamental tree, it also has a number of other uses: A decoction of the bark is taken to treat heartburn and hangovers. Bark and root mixtures are used to strengthen the body and purify the blood, to treat nervous heart conditions and diarrhoea, as well as for facial saunas. The seeds are edible after roasting, and although low in fat and protein they have a high carbohydrate content. Both the Bantu-speaking people and the early European settlers and farmers are said to have roasted the mature pods and eaten the seeds, a practice which they learned from the Khoikhoi. The bark can be used for dyeing, giving a red-brown or red colour. The timber is of good quality, suitable for furniture making. The sapwood is pinkish-grey and not durable unless treated. The heartwood is a dark walnut, almost black, hard, fairly heavy and termite resistant with a dense fine texture and has been much used for furniture and flooring blocks. It is also said to be excellent for all kinds of wagon wood and was chiefly in demand for wagon beams.
References:
* Germishuizen, G., Meyer, N.L., Steenkamp, Y. & Keith, M. (eds) 2006. A Checklist of South African plants. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 41. SABONET, Pretoria.
* Coates Palgrave, Keith, 1977, Trees of Southern Africa, C. Struik Publishers, Cape Town, Johannesburg
* de Winter, B, de Winter, M. and Killick, D.J.B., 1966, Sixty-Six Transvaal Trees, Botanical Research Institute, Dept. of Agricultural Technical Services
* Palmer, E. and Pitman, N., 1972, Trees of Southern Africa, Volume 2, A.A. Balkema, Cape Town
* Phillips, E.P. (ed.), 1940, The Flowering Plants of South Africa. Volume 20, Plate 777, J.L. van Schaik Ltd., Pretoria.
* Pooley, E., 1993, The Complete Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand and Transkei, Natal Flora Publications Trust, Durban
* Smith, C.A., 1699, Common Names of South African Plants, Dept. of Agricultural Technical Services, Botanical Survey Memoir No 35, Government Printer.
* van Wyk, B.E., Gericke, N., 2000, People's Plants, Briza Publications, Pretoria (source - retrieved from on 3/30/2013)
From the above information I deduce that the Karoo Boer Bean, Schotia afra var. angustifolia is of questionable edibility and probably only eaten in famine times in its native areas.
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
View this plant and its fruit at,
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Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Kei Apple, Dovyalis caffra Warb., the Umkokola, or Kei apple, is a small to medium-sized tree, native to southern Africa. Its distribution extends from the Kei River in the south, from which the common name derives, northwards along the eastern side of the continent to Tanzania. The ripe fruits are tasty, reminiscent of a small apple.
It is a usually found in dry types of woodland when it grows to 6 m tall. In moister types of open woodland it reaches its greatest size of about 8–9 metres. It is a rather straggly tree, with sharp, 3–6 cm long stem spines in the leaf axils. Buds at the base of the spine produce clusters of alternately arranged simple ovate leaves 3–6 cm long.
The flowers are inconspicuous, solitary or clustered, with no petals. It is dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants, though some female plants are parthenogenetic.
The fruit is an edible bright yellow or orange globose berry 2.5–4 cm diameter, with the skin and flesh of a uniform colour and containing several small seeds. Production is often copious, weighing down the branches during the summer. They are juicy, tasty and acidic.
Cultivation and uses
A traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known fruit has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.[1]
Kei-apples are often eaten fresh, or sprinkled with sugar to complement their natural acidity. Aside from being eaten fresh, the fruit can be made into jam, and is also popular pickled or used in desserts.
Although it is native to Africa, it has also been introduced to the Mediterranean, California, Florida and other regions with subtropical and warm temperate climates. In these places it is most often grown as an ornamental plant, being popular as an impenetrable hedge. It is salt and drought-tolerant, so useful for coastal landscaping in dry regions.
Although a subtropical species, the Kei apple is able to survive temperatures as low as ?6°C. Gardeners who want fruit require a female plant; a fertile female plant and fertile male plant is ideal. Kei apples are propagated by seed. Plants will bear about four years later.
References
1. ^ National Research Council (2008-01-25). "Kei Apple". Lost Crops of Africa: Volume III: Fruits. Lost Crops of Africa. 3. National Academies Press. ISBN 978-0-309-10596-5. Retrieved 2008-07-17. (source - retrieved from on 1/17/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
The shrub or small tree, growing to a height of 30 ft (9 m) with a spread of 25 ft (7.5 m), usually has many sharp spines 1 to 3 in (2.5-7.5 cm) long, though it is often entirely spineless if not trimmed. The leaves, often clustered on short spurs, are oblong-obovate, 1 to 3 in (2.5-7.5 cm) long, glossy and short-petioled. Pale-yellow male and female flowers are usually borne on separate trees. They are small, petalless, and clustered in the leaf axils. The aromatic fruit is oblate or nearly round, 1 to 1 1/2 in (2.5-4 cm) long, with bright-yellow, smooth but minutely downy, somewhat tough skin, and mealy, apricot-textured, juicy, highly acid flesh. There are 5 to 15 seeds arranged in double rings in the center. They are flat, pointed and surrounded by threadlike fibers. The tree is spectacular when its branches are laden with these showy fruits. (source - retrieved from on 1/17/2013)
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
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Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the King Orange, " Fruit large (among the largest of the mandarins), oblate to depressed globose; base sometimes short-necked but usually depressed and furrowed; apex flattened or depressed; areole moderately distinct. Rind thick (very thick for mandarins), moderately adherent but peelable; surface moderately smooth to rough and warty. Deep yellowish-orange to orange at maturity. Segments 12 to 14, readily separable; axis large and hollow. Flesh color deep orange; tender; moderately juicy; flavor rich. Seeds few to many and cotyledons cream-colored. Late to very late in maturity and stores well on tree.
Tree moderately vigorous, upright and open in growth habit, and medium in size, with comparatively few thick, stiff and erect, thornless to moderately thorny branches. Foliage open and consists of large, dark-green, broadly-lanceolate leaves, the petioles of which are medium in length and narrowly wing-margined and the venation inconspicuous in comparison with most other mandarins. Very, productive but markedly subject to loss from tree breakage and fruit sunburn. Tree cold-resistant but less so than most mandarins.
According to Webber (1943), this variety originated as a seedling from fruits of that name received by H. S. Magee of Riverside, California, in 1880 through the courtesy of the United States Minister to Japan, John A. Bingham, who arranged to have them sent from Saigon, Cochin-China (South Vietnam). It is stated that Magee, who was a nurseryman, sent both seedlings and budwood to J. C. Stovin of Winter Park, Florida, in 1882.
Climatically, the most distinctive feature of this variety is its very high heat requirement for the attainment of horticultural maturity and good quality, for which reason it is the latest ripening of the mandarins. The fruit also is markedly affected by environmental influences, including both rootstock and soil. Thus, when grown in Florida on sour orange rootstock in the heavier-textured soils, the size is large, rind surface relatively smooth, and the flavor excellent—rich and sprightly. On rough lemon rootstock in light-textured soils, the rind surface is rough and warty and the flavor much less pronounced. As a consequence, for satisfactory quality its range of commercial adaptation is quite restricted. In California, it attains acceptable flavor only in the hottest interior districts and is undesirably rough in rind surface and unattractive in appearance.
At one time King had considerable importance in Florida, but it is now grown very little commercially. It is still used in the gift-package trade, however, and for home planting. It has never achieved importance in California.
Of horticultural interest in connection with this variety is the fact that several of its hybrids are currently of commercial interest in California and elsewhere, among which are Encore, Honey (not the Murcott of Florida), Kinnow, and Wilking, all of King X Willowleaf parentage, and Kara of Owari satsuma X King parentage (Frost, 1935). (source - retrieved from on 1/17/2013)
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
A picture of the fruit of the King Orange is at
The main driving force of water uptake and transport into a plant is transpiration of water from leaves through specialized openings called stomata. Heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate, setting this ‘water chain’ in motion. The evaporation creates a negative water vapor pressure. Water is pulled into the leaf to replace the water that has transpired from the leaf. This pulling of water, or tension, occurs in the xylem of the leaf. Since the xylem is a continuous water column that extends from the leaf to the roots, this negative water pressure extends into the roots and results in water uptake from the soil. [adapted from: ]
Clearly this clever water transport system shows a superior intelligence of the Creator (YHWH).
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO,
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To enjoy an online Bible study called “Follow the Christ” go to,
Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!
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Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the kokum, Garcinia indica, a plant in the mangosteen family (Clusiaceae), is a fruit-bearing tree that has culinary, pharmaceutical, and industrial uses.
The genus Garcinia, belonging to the family Clusiaceae, includes about 200 species found in the Old World tropics, mostly in Asia and Africa. Garcinia indica is indigenous to the Western Ghats region of India located along the western coast of the country. Of the 35 species found in India, 17 are endemic. Of these, seven are endemic to the Western Ghats, six in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and four in the northeastern region of India.
Garcinia indica is found in forest lands, riversides and wastelands. These plants prefer evergreen forests, but sometimes they also thrive in areas with relatively low rainfall. It is also cultivated on a small scale. It does not require irrigation, spraying of pesticides or fertilizers.
Garcinia indica is known by various names across India, including aamsol, aamsul, bindin, biran, bhirand,bhrinda, brinda, bin'na, kokum (alternate spellings kokam and cocum), katambi, looikya, sour apple, panarpuli, ratamba, thekera (in Assam) and many others.
Uses
Culinary uses
The outer cover of fruit is dried in the sun to get aamsul or kokam. It is used as a slightly sour spice in recipes from Maharashtra. Kokum yields a peculiar flavour and blackish red colour. It is a preferred substitute for tamarind in curries and other dishes from the Konkan region. It is also used in cuisine from Gujarat, where it is frequently used to add flavor and tartness to dal (lentil soup) for flavor balance, and parts of South India.
The vessel on the left contains syrup which is obtained from the vessel containing kokum rinds, on the right. The syrup is used to make kokum sherbet
Kokum squash or kokum concentrate is used in preparing a drink (sherbet) which is bright red in colour. Kokum sherbet improves digestion and cools the body during summers[citation needed].
Further, the extract/ concentrate of this fruit is called aagal in Konkani and Marathi. It is to added during the preparation of solkadhi, along with coconut milk.
Industrial uses
The seed of Garcinia indica contains 23–26% oil, which remains solid at room temperature. It is used in the preparation of confectionery, medicines and cosmetics.
Recently, industries have started extracting hydroxycitric acid (HCA) from the rind of the fruit.
Other uses
The tree is ornamental, with a dense canopy of green leaves and red-tinged, tender, young leaves. The oily extract called kokum tel is used in foot massage. [source - retrieved from on 5/23/2013]
In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV)[for more details, go to www.jw.org].
To see pictures of this fruit, go to,
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Your Friend in Christ Iris89
Francis David said it long ago, "Neither the sword of popes...nor the image of death will halt the march of truth. "Francis David, 1579, written on the wall of his prison cell." Read the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach" and the Bible today, and go to www.jw.org!