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Young leaves with silver hairs, giving the tree a characteristic silver shine. Simple leaves, spirally arranged and clustered at the end of the branches. |
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The leaves are clustered towards the tips of the branches; 55-120 x 15-45 mm large and densely covered with silky, silvery hairs. The branchlets are dark brown or purplish; peeling in rings and strips. |
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Detail of the small, cream flowers which are borne in axillary spikes. |
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Utilization of silver clusterleaf by giraffe, although foliage of low nutritional value. Note dense stand and characteristic branching of trees. |
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The fruit is a hard, indehiscent and flattened, two-winged pod. |
Local names:
English (yellow wood,silver terminalia)
T. sericea is common as a shrub or bush 6-9 m tall , but individual trees may reach 23 m in height. The bark is dark grey or brownish often peeling, exposing a brownish under-bark. Young stems and branches often parasitized and bear longish round galls often up to 2-3 cm in diameter frequently with leaves. Leaves narrowly obovate-elliptic, blue-green, 5.5-12 by 1.5-4.5 cm, clustered towards the tips of the slender branchlets and covered with silvery silky hairs; petiole up to 10 mm long. The flowers are powerfully and rather unpleasantly scented, small, yellowish green, in axillary spikes up to 7 cm long Fruits one-seeded, oval, 2.5-3.5 by 1.5-2.5 cm, single-winged and soft pink to rose red when mature, darkening to brown or red brown with age. They are sometimes parasitized and become deformed, twisted and hairy. The generic name ‘Terminalia’ comes from Latin word ‘terminus’ or ‘terminalis’ (ending), and refers to the habit of the leaves being crowded or borne on the tips of the shoots.
Ecology
T. sericea is scattered in open woodlands, sometimes dominant or co-dominant in mixed deciduous forests. It is adaptable to drought and moderately adaptable to saline soils. It can tolerate some frost. T. sericea is reported to form dense thickets when cut or burnt, and becomes weedy, preventing the growth of grass.
Native range
South Africa, Tanzania
Tree management
T. sericea is adaptable to drought, moderately saline soils and some frost. It is reported to form dense thickets when cut or burnt, and becomes weedy, preventing the growth of grass. The species is aggressive, usually easily established as it shades out weeds
T. sericea is scattered in open woodlands, sometimes dominant or co-dominant in mixed deciduous forests. It is adaptable to drought and moderately adaptable to saline soils. It can tolerate some frost. T. sericea is reported to form dense thickets when cut or burnt, and becomes weedy, preventing the growth of grass.
T. sericea is usually propagated by seed. It naturally seeds and regenerates readily as open sites become available.
Erosion Control: In Southern Africa, it is used to control erosion.
The plant produces an edible gum. During the rainy season, caterpillars feeding on the leaves of this shrub are an important source of food.
The species make good charcoal and firewood
Timber: The wood is yellow, hard, heavy, very tough and resistant to both termites and borers. It is used extensively for construction, furniture, fence posts, tool handles and as a general-purpose timber. The bark is cut into strips and used as a rope to hang beehives. The roots are also cut into strips and used as a strong rope for hut construction.
Medicine: Diarrhea and colic were cured by African tribes by using a decoction of the roots. This decoction is very bitter. The leaves are used against stomach disorders and as a cough remedy. Nerifolin, a glucoside, which affects the pulse rate, has been isolated from parts of the silver Terminalia
Soil improver: The tree improves sites by draining waterlogged soils, shading out weeds, and enriching impoverished soils. It is recommended for reforestation, agroforestry, and land improvement purposes.