Ehretia rigida subsp. nervifolia

Ehretia rigida subsp. nervifolia is a rigid, twiggy shrub or small tree reaching heights from 2 m to 6 m (SA Tree No.657). Profuse flowering may be seen during the plant’s long flowering season that lasts from spring to midwinter, rain permitting.

The plant occurs in much of northeastern South Africa, in the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, the provinces north of the Vaal River, as well as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This plant was photographed on the Magaliesberg in November. 

The shrubs usually grow in thickets of bushveld, along forest margins and sometimes seen on termite mounds. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century.

E. rigida subsp. nervifolia has found its way into traditional medicine, also in the treatment of some cattle diseases. In addition, some improbable and puzzling superstition related practices involving the puzzle bush are on record. The plant is browsed by stock and game (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; Schmidt, et al, 2002; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).