African mangosteen

African mangosteen (Garcinia livingstonei): Although there are over 1,000 species of the mangosteen family worldwide this is the only woody species found in Namibia. It is a semi-deciduous to evergreen erect tree which grows between 3 to 10m high. The riverbanks and floodplains of the rivers of the eastern Zambezi Region (formerly the Caprivi Strip) and the Okavango River are the main habitat ranges.

The dark grey to black bark develops shallow grooves. The hairless dark green leaves are covered with fine, white scales below and are browsed by livestock, mainly goats. Green-white to yellowish flowers bloom in October. An edible, roundish, fleshy berry, which looks like an apricot, is yellow to orange-red when ripe. It can be used to brew an alcoholic drink. Pale brown wood can be used to make fence posts or in the case of larger trees, in the furniture industry.