Mopane Tree

© Shem Compion

Igama

Mopane (Colophospermum mopane)

Incazelo

Lesihlahla usheshe ukwazi ukubona ukuthi yiluphi uhlobo, ngenxa yamaqabunga aso amiswe okwamabhabhathane. Ngokombala aluhlaza futhi mangabe esaqala ukuhluma abayimibala yase ntwasahlobo. Lemibala ibonakala ezinyangeni eziningi zonyaka. Luningi uhlobo lwalwezihlahla futhi lunamagatsha anezinti ezibheke phezulu, enza u-V, ngenye inkathi kuye kubonakale ngathi ngumqhele ozacile. Isiqu singumbala ongungwevu ompunga, bese sibanemiklamo emide. Ezinye izihlahla zemopane ubude bazo bunga fika kuma-25 wamamitha, ikakhulukazi kwisihlabathi esinodaka.
Mangabe isimo sisibi, lesisihlahla asibisikhulu, ngakho ke siye sibizwe nge ‘Mopane scrub’ noma ‘gumane’. Iziqu ezindala zingwevu okhanyayo, ezisencane ungwevu wazo umpunga. Amaqabunga amancane amabili akhula kwisinti esidodwa.

Izimbali nezithelo

Izimbali zeMopane ziphuzi osaluhlaza ngombala, zitholakala zingamaqoqo kwizinti. Isithelo semopane sisibaca futhi simiswe okwe-pod engathi yinso mawuyibuka. Mayisakhula ibaluhlaza bese ibane mbewu eyodwa etshwamile enamathelayo. Ukuqhakaza kuqala ngo Disemba ukuyosho ku Januwari.

Lapho ezitholakala khona

I-Mopane itholakala eNingizimu Afrika, eBotswana naseNamibia.

Igama lesiLatini

Leli gama elithi Mopane, uma seliphelele ngu-Mopane Moth [Gonimbrasia belina]. Lesi sihlahla sibaluleke kakhulu kubantu baseAfrika ngoba sinezakhamzimba namavithamini. I-catepillar yaso yaziwa njenge Mopane Worm, iyavunwa idliwe njengoba injalo noma yomiswe bese iyadliwa. Isiqu salesi sihlahla sona kwenziwa ngaso ifenisha ehlala isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuthi iguge, futhi ayidliwa ama-termite.