Botanical name Psydrax livida
Other names Canthium huillense; green-twigs quar; groenboom; groenkwar (Afrikaans)
Family Rubiaceae
Dimensions Deciduous or evergreen shrub or small tree, occasionally up to 6 m in height
Description of stem Smooth, light grey; small branches green; branches opposite, spreading sideways at same level
Description of leaves Opposite, bright green above, dull below, sometimes hairy, especially along the four or five veins, mildly undulating; net-veining conspicuous, light-coloured, raised on lower surface; margin entire;ovate; apex tapering, base rounded
Description of flowers Creamy to yellow, green edges to petals; occur in axillary clusters in summer, exude an unpleasant odour
Desciption of seed/fruit Hard brown oblong seed appearing during autumn
Description of roots  
Variation Sometimes evergreen
Propagation and cultivation  
Tolerances  
Uses Browsed by livestock; ornaments made from the wood
Ecological rarity Common
Pests and diseases  
Other The Psydrax genus is closely related to the Canthium genus, within which this tree was previous classified
Location Bushveld, rocky woodland, riverine thickets
Distribution (SA provinces) North West; Gauteng; Mpumalanga; Limpopo
Country South Africa; Namibia; Botswana; Zimbabwe; Zambia; Mozambique; Zambia; Kenya; Angola
  Coates Palgrave, 2002