The arid and semi - arid Kalahari Desert , about four times the size of great Britain , stretches over most of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa . wintertime temperature can drop off to freezing , and summer temperature can rise to 104 degrees Fahrenheit . Among the many plant mintage that have evolve to exist these environmental extremes , only a handful are widespread or have special uses .
Camel Thorn Tree
Under the harshest weather of the Kalahari , the Camel Thorn Tree , Acacia erioloba , is in reality a shrub , but under the good conditions it can grow into a tree up to 30 feet high-pitched . Its Afrikaans name , " Kameeldoringboom , " does not come from the Dromedary camel , which is import into the Kalahari , but from Camelopardus , the Latin name for the Giraffa camelopardalis , Kaleemperd in Afrikaans .
The plant ’s crescent - mold seed seedcase , overlay by a o.k. gray down and said to resemble camel hair , are from 4 to 5 column inch from closing to oddment . A fledged tree can produce more than a thousand pounds of these pods in a year , each of which incorporate several hard , shiny seeds that are part of the natural selection ration for Bushmen .
The hard , dim wood of the camel spine tree is appreciate for " braaivleis , " Afrikaans for barbecue . It is protected by the South African government , and a permit is need to trim it .
Shepherd’s Tree
The Shepherd ’s Tree , Boscia albitrunca , with white bark and belittled , dark light-green leaves , is one of the few trees that will get on the slopes of a sand dune . It yields berries that are eaten bare-assed , made into jam or combined with yoghourt . Its roots are used to make a chocolate substitute and boiled to make a perfumed sirup . They are also ground and used as a flour .
Gray Camel Thorn Tree
The Gray Camel Thorn , Acacia Itaematoxylon , has grey foliage . It commonly grows as a multi - stemmed bush , although it can grow into a tree in sand flatbed and dry river beds . The seedpod are thinner and more round than the reliable Camel Thorn , and there are indentations between the seeds , making the seedpod appear like a string of bead .
Tsmamma or Kalahari Desert Melon
A relative of the cultivated Citrullus vulgaris , the Tsamma , Citrulus lanatus , can remain firm and fresh for more than two years . Both animals and bushman eat on it for the piss in its succus , which tastes easily if it is cooked . The succus fermentation after two day . An petroleum from its seeds is extremely appreciate .
Ghaap
Ghaap ( pronounce Garp ) , Hoodia gordonii , has became famous because it hold an active component that play as a dieting suppressant . Although those properties were discovered by the San Bushmen and the Ghaap is plant in the Kalahari , it is more frequently found in Bushmanland and Namaqualand in the Ghaap Plateau . There are acerb and cherubic motley of Ghaap . It is a succulent , not a cactus , as is popularly trust and frequently misidentified .
