Fluweelboswilg, Basterrooibos
umBondwe-omhlope
Small to medium-sized, evergreen to deciduous tree (depending on the rainfall) 3–13 m tall, rounded crown, young bark grey, becoming grey-brown to almost black, deeply fissured with age.
Leaves simple, opposite, velvety when young, pink/orange when emerging.
Flowers dense, greenish-yellow, scented, Sep–Nov.
Fruit is four-winged, light green to reddish-brown when dry.
Insects: serve as host plants for over 35 different species of lepidoptera caterpillars.
Pollinators: The flowers attract numerous bees and other pollinators.
Fruits: Fruits and flowers provide food for birds and small mammals.
Shelter: Many small animal shelter under the canopy and trunk fissures.
Browsing value: Several mammal species, especially antelope, have been found to browse on Combretum molle. Notably, kudu and other antelope species consume the leaves and young shoots, with browsing documented in bushveld and savanna habitats. The tree is more frequently browsed in times of scarce forage, and while not a preferred fodder, wild browsers such as kudu, impala, and potentially other bushveld-dwelling antelope supplement their diet with Combretum molle. No evidence indicates significant livestock use, but grazing mammals contribute to seed dispersal and ecosystem interaction
Ecosystem Services: Soil stabilization, restoration of degraded bushveld, acts as a nurse plant, and adds value in revegetation efforts.
Pollinators: Bees, beetles, and other insects are attracted to the scented flowers.
Fruit/Seed Dispersers: Birds and small mammals eat fruits. The seeds are dispersed by wind or gravity.
Frugivorous birds, such as hornbills, feed on the fruits, and insectivorous birds feed on the broad range of insects feeding on the tree.
Sunbirds visit the flowers.
Provides nesting and perching sites.
Collect fresh, undamaged seeds after fruit ripens and dries on the tree in late summer; store in paper bags.
If very dry, soak seeds in water for 24 hours before planting. Sow in well-drained sandy medium, cover lightly. Seeds germinate readily, often two cotyledon stalks emerge, then shoot and radical.
Take semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, root in sandy well-drained medium under mist or humidity dome. Success rate moderate, improved by hormone treatment.
The bark of Combretum molle is used for dyeing fabrics, and its leaves are browsed by game animals such as giraffe and antelope. Medicinally, its roots, bark, and leaves are used to treat malaria, fever, intestinal disorders, dysentery, jaundice, and yellow fever, skin diseases, and respiratory ailments. The wood is used for fencing and tool-making, and the tree plays a role in pollinator support and seed dispersal in savanna ecosystems.
