Kigelia africana fruity beginnings

Two Kigelia africana fruits are developing here. Darker patches are at this stage still scattered along the young fruit surfaces. One of them retains for the moment a protruding pointed tip where the style has disappeared.

Once the fruit is mature its colour will be a uniform grey to pale grey-brown. By that time gravity will have convinced it to rather hang down vertically. The probably poisonous fruits are nevertheless used in traditional medicine and magic for a range of complaints, including acne. Death from medical treatment has served in saving lives later from learning, for as long as humanity has practiced medicine. Later deaths serve as reminders and continued professional development.

The tree, its stems covered in lichen, grows in the Caledon Wildflower Garden (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Pooley, 1993; iNaturalist).