EBENACEAE

Euclea divinorum

Magic Guarri

Trees & Shrubs

Leaves and flowers

Flowers

Tree

Fruits and kurrichane thrush

Local Context

Common shrub (sometimes tree) in Raptor's View. It is easy to spot in winter as it's one of the only evergreen shrubs in the estate. Look for it near streams, termite mounds, open areas, rocky hills and in woodland.

Identification

Growth: Evergreen shrub or small tree (usually up to 8–9 m tall) that is much-branched and densely leafy; the bark is grey-brown to black and can be smooth but becomes dark and rough with square cracks or fissures as it ages.
Flowers: Small, white to creamy yellow, and cup- or bell-shaped; they grow in short, dense, almost round clusters (up to 1.5 cm wide) in the leaf axils, with male and female flowers on separate plants.
Leaves: Evergreen, growing opposite or nearly opposite one another; they are leathery, dark green to grey-green above and paler below, typically elliptic or diamond-shaped (1.6–12 cm long), and characteristically have very wavy edges.
Texture: The leaves are hairless but frequently finely wrinkled like old leather; young shoots and flower stalks are dotted with rusty brown scales or granules, while the rest of the plant is largely smooth.
Fruit: A round, thinly fleshy berry (5–7 mm wide) that turns red, brown, or purplish-black when ripe; it contains a single seed and often dries out quickly.

Did You Know?

Along Kruger roads like the one between Orpen and Satara, the Magic Guarri thrives because its high tannin content makes it unpalatable to elephants, leaving it standing while other trees are cleared. This chemical defense is so potent that if ruminants are forced to graze on it, the tannins can paralyse their digestive bacteria, causing the animals to starve with a full stomach despite being surrounded by greenery.

Video Guide

Courtesy of Raptor's View resident Derek Keats

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