Botany of gwaTshani

The Kingdom of gwaTshani has within its lands an incredibly diverse array of terrain types and thus a large number of native plant species, many of which are endemic to the region and found nowhere else in the wild in Sabrim. Compiled here is a ~~comprehensive overview of gwaTshani's most notable flora~~ small sampling of gwaTshani's floral biodiversity.

## Kaliba False Kelp

isiTshani name: *julukwe tshunusizo*

Scientific name: *Pseudomacrocystis kalibaensis*

While technically not a plant but an alga (specifically a phaeophyte or brown algae), the Kaliba False kelp is also not a true kelp either as it is not a member of the order Laminariales. Unlike most macroalgae of its kind, it grows exclusively in freshwater and is endemic to the Kaliba River and its tributaries, as well as a few ponds within its watershed. It is edible and is a staple food of the Kaliba River Turtle, and it is also used as a vegetable or as garnish for many amaTshani dishes.

## Bush Acacia

isiTshani name: *tulukwe womtholo*

Scientific name: *Senegalia latiramus*

The most common shrub of the savannah, the bush acacia is just that; a low-to-the-ground, shrubby acacia. It has thorns on its branches and unpalatable toxins in its leaves to deter any potential herbivores that would otherwise nibble on its foliage; luckily, most animals of the gwaTshani savannah are not browsers, but grazers who eat mostly grass.

## Savannah Allium

isiTshani name: *qoali'uma*

Scientific name: *Allium sphaerophora*

Also known as the Spherical Allium or Savannah Garlic. This monocot is used as a spice by the amaTshani, but is too aromatic for most animals to eat. Thus, it is occasionally used to ward away insects and the demons known as *mogwe.*

## Berry Ebony

isiTshani name: *tshuni shwatsa*

Scientific name: *Diospyros microfructus*

This small tree is notable for its strong, dark wood which is favored greatly among amaTshani craftsmen and toolsmiths. It is not a very large tree, and thus overharvesting had once made it somewhat rare. It is also notable for its small fruit, which resemble persimmons in shape and flavor, but are less than half a centimeter in diameter when mature.

## Savannah Cypress

isiTshani name: *tshuni isigaxa*

Scientific name: *Widdringtonia magnificens*

Perhaps the tallest native tree in gwaTshani, the savannah cypress is notable for its large trunk base and often bare mid-trunk section, making it easily recognizable. Its species name, *magnificens,* reflects this fact. Its leaves are highly flammable, and as such the foliage grows high up where it is safe from being burnt in the bushfires that occasionally burn across the savannah during the dry season. It is also notable for being the only endemic conifer in the entire country- the only other gymnosperms native to gwaTshani are cycads. This is why the native amaTshani refer to it as the "cone tree", or *tshuni isigaxa.*

## Umbrella Acacia

isiTshani name: *tshuni* *womtholo*

Scientific name: *Senegalia umbrelliforma*

The most iconic of the savannah's trees, the umbrella acacia is a favorite among many for its flat top. Its orange heartwood makes for interesting builds, and its gray bark makes it suitable for constructing roofs of large structures. A number of the buildings in the capitol city of Guhwa-Isiweni are built with this tree's wood. Its foliage contains thorns among its leaves, and when threatened or stressed the tree produces pheromones that cause other local acacias to produce poison in their leaves. This can make humanoids sick when ingested, but can also be used as a topical antibiotic when ground into a paste. It is a close relative of the Giant Marine Acacia, *Senegalia littoralis,* which grows in the plains and barrier islands along the south-central coast of the continent.

## Savannah Willow

isiTshani name: *tshuni* *nyezane*

Scientific name: *Salix thermophila*

Most willows live in temperate or boreal climates and prefer moist soils; the savannah willow, on the other hand, is the exact opposite, living in the hot dry plains of the tropics. However, they do seem to grow more commonly around sources of water, or in the highveld where the altitude moderates the heat and clouds frequently hit the mountains with airborne moisture.

## Palm Aloe

isiTshani name: *thubulega*

Scientific name: *Aloe arecamimus*

From afar this woody succulent resembles a palm tree, but upon closer inspection one notices that it is in fact a member of the *Aloe* genus. The insides of its thick leaves are edible when cooked, and produce a thick syrup that can provide relief to burns.

## Cube Euphorbia

isiTshani name: *ivathongo*

Scientific name: *Euphorbia quadrilateralis*

A succulent native to the dry badlands of the guYakhatuhlu Mountains, this cactuslike plant of the spurge family lends its name to one of the Kaliba River's major tributaries. Its columnar body is very thorny, and if that isn't enough the ward away herbivorous animals, the flesh of the plant contains irritating latex which can cause inflammation and even permanent blindness.