Curved thorns Tree.. Kumukomboti Kumwikalangwe (ziziphus abyssinica)

Derivation of the name: Komboti - something curved. The name refers to the curved thorns of the tree.

Natural Habitat and distribution in Bungoma: Habitat: dry bushland, woodland, wooded grassland. Distribution: becoming a rare species, found in wooded grassland and in thickets or clump bushland.

Description: Bark grey-brown, very rough and furrowed with age. Leaves thick, shiny green above, felty tomentose and light brown beneath, base asymmetric, margin finely toothed, 3 main veins raise from the leaf base, depressed above, prominent below. Spines in pairs, one sharply hooked upwards, the other one slightly curved downwards. Flower small, in dense clusters in leaf axils. Fruit shiny red to red-brown when ripe, 2-3 cm in diameter, edible.

Physical Features: Shape: spiny shrub, sometimes climbing, much branched, up to 8 m high. Crown: open, with drooping branches. Foliage: semi-deciduous.

Biological Features:

Tree/Crop association: The tree is left in cultivated fields because of its fruits and is said to be compatible with crops. Biomass Production: Slow growing. Other characteristics: drought resistant, cattle proof, wood very hard and durable.

Reproduction: seeds, root suckers.

Management: lopping, pollarding, slow regrowth after coppicing.

Ecological Benefit: diversification of hedgerows.

Tree products and use: posts, timber for building and construction, fuelwood, charcoal, yoke, granary, bee-forage, fodder, fruits, live fence.

Medicinal Application: Cure of rheumatism. Sap: treatment of wounds. Root: abdominal pain, STD, pain in legs, P.V bleeding.

Related species: KUMUKOMBOTI - ( Ziziphus mucronata ). The local people claim  that there are several species of kumukomboti growing in the area, but they do not differentiate in names. However, Ziziphus Mucronata is a rare species and can be distinguished  by the leaves which are more or less glabrous on both sides.