Monotypic genus of trees in the family Proteaceae from the Western Cape of South Africa
Brabejum
Brabejum stellatifolium in flower
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Clade:
Tracheophytes
Clade:
Angiosperms
Clade:
Eudicots
Order:
Proteales
Family:
Proteaceae
Subfamily:
Grevilleoideae
Tribe:
Macadamieae
Subtribe:
Macadamiinae
Genus:
Brabejum L.
Species:
B. stellatifolium
Binomial name
Brabejum stellatifolium
L.
Brabejum is a genus of a single species of large evergreen tree, Brabejum stellatifolium in the family Proteaceae, commonly called wild almond, bitter almond or ghoeboontjie. It is restricted in the wild to South Africa's Western Cape province, where it grows in thickets along the banks of streams. The plant is of botanical interest as being Africa's only member of the large grevilleoid subfamily. It is a bushy small tree with branches widely at ground level and numerous erect vigorous stems. Leaves grow up to 6 in (15 cm) long, narrow and bluntly toothed, appear at intervals along the branches, mostly in whorls of 6. In summer, the plant bears white flowers densely crowded on spikes arising from rusty buds at the leaf axils. The fruits to 2 in (5 cm) long, magenta to reddish brown, similar to an almond, appear in autumn. The nut is too bitter to eat; however, in earlier times it was boiled, roasted, and ground to make a "coffee" drink.
This tree has special significance in Cape Town's heritage, as it was used to make Van Riebeeck's Hedge - the Cape's first formal boundary. Parts of this original hedge can still be seen growing today at Kirstenbosch.[2]
^Rebelo, A.G.; Mtshali, H.; von Staden, L. (2020). "Brabejum stellatifolium". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T112598138A157948392. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T112598138A157948392.en. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
^Palmer, Eve; Pitman, Norah (1972). Trees of Southern Africa. A. A. Balkema.
Brabejum is a genus of a single species of large evergreen tree, Brabejum stellatifolium in the family Proteaceae, commonly called wild almond, bitter...
[page needed] The lone exception and only grevilleoid in Africa is the Brabejum tree of Cape Town. The framework for classification of the Proteaceae was...
particularly short internodes. Examples of trees with whorled phyllotaxis are Brabejum stellatifolium and the related genus Macadamia. A whorl can occur as a...
present-day La Perouse. Solander coined the (unpublished) binomial name Brabejum pungens in Banks' Florilegium. The shrub was first described in 1798 by...
the almond, Prunus amygdalus, native to the Middle East and South Asia Brabejum stellatifolium, native to South Africa Irvingia malayana, native to southeast...
speciosa R.Br. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive Genus Brabejum: Brabejum stellatifolium L. endemic Genus Diastella: Diastella bryiflora Salisb...
largest, and most obvious tree species are Metrosideros angustifolia, Brabejum stellatifolium, Cassine schinoides, Apodytes dimidiata, Cunonia capensis...
Maytenus oleoides, Cunonia capensis, Kiggelaria africana, Ilex mitis and Brabejum stellatifolium. Wildfires may burn the leaf litter but only spread to the...
given rise to the Australian genus Macadamia, the South African species Brabejum stellatifolium, Australian rainforest species Nothorites megacarpus, and...
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