How many unusual names of native plant species can you discover by talking to people in Tanzania?
During a hike in Gombe Stream National Park, whilst searching for the famous chimpanzees studied by Jane Goodall, you might come across Zanthoxylum chalybeum, also known as ‘Hercules’ club’ or ‘crocodile tree’; belonging to the Rutaceae family, it is renowned for its medicinal and aromatic properties.
Widespread in the forests and wooded areas of East Africa, it blends seamlessly into this rich forest and transitional ecosystem.
Its trunk and branches, covered in large, conical, woody protuberances, are topped with sharp thorns, which act as the plant’s natural defence against large herbivores.
The leaves and bark of this tree give off a strong citrus or spicy scent when rubbed. In local traditional medicine, it is also known as the ‘toothache tree’ due to the anaesthetic properties of its bark, and its leaves are sometimes part of the diet or of interest to the park’s wildlife.
