Spirostachys africana trees keeping to themselves

Tamboti trees tend to form dense stands in suitable areas, rather than random scattering among the veld trees happy to mix it. A brackish flat or riverine patch in mixed or sour bushveld may abruptly contrast against the surrounding bush by dense shadow and erect pillars, all the trunks in the clump or little forest being tamboti.

A good place for prayer as black rhino, disturbed in its chewing and musing may suddenly move in fast from very close. They eat tamboti, avoided by many that may in turn avoid them.

The photo was taken in December when the tamboti canopy can be expected to be near its densest for the year. The place was the section of the Mjejane Game Reserve that can be explored on foot. No black rhinos were seen (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002).