Early morning sunshine enhances the yellow gold bark of a Fever Tree, patterning the trunk with leaf shadows; a combination resembling rich brocade. This photograph is posted in response to this week’s photo challenge to capture a shadow.
Occurring naturally in swampy areas, this tree was associated with malaria; hence it came to be known as the Fever Tree. The strangely pale and powdery yellow bark also added to the tree’s mystique. Perhaps more apt is the Zulu name for the tree, umHlosinga, which means ‘the tree that shines from afar’.
The Fever Tree’s botanical name is Vachellia xanthophloea, previously Acacia xanthophloea. Xanthophloea means yellow-barked. Increasingly, these striking trees are being planted in urban areas, and this photograph was taken in our suburban garden.
Recent revisions in the classification of Acacias required that they be divided into five subgroups, and as a result African Acacias have been renamed either Vachellia or Senegalia, and Acacia now refers only to wattles in Australia.
Much to the sorrow of lovers of the iconic thorn trees of the African savannas, there are no longer Acacias in Africa! (Click here for a succinct summary of the name changes.)
Posted by Carol
Weekly Photo Challenge: Shadow Click to see images from other bloggers on this theme.
February 22, 2017 at 1:12 pm
A lovely image, I too am always attracted to shadows on tree bark, but this one gave you a beautiful canvas too. It’s a shame the Zulu name for the tree wasn’t adopted, it’s beautiful.
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February 22, 2017 at 1:34 pm
Thanks Theresa, and I agree about the name.
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February 14, 2017 at 5:13 am
Nice shot!
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February 14, 2017 at 5:28 am
Thank you Jon.
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February 13, 2017 at 4:44 pm
Great take on the challenge! And a fascinating back story. Thanks.
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February 13, 2017 at 5:37 pm
Thanks very much. Glad you liked the back story too – it is an interesting and beautiful tree.
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February 10, 2017 at 5:41 pm
Beautiful!
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February 11, 2017 at 7:05 am
Thank you!
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February 10, 2017 at 8:44 am
I love how the greenish mossy bark complements the leafy shadows.
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February 11, 2017 at 7:05 am
Thanks Margaret. The bark is surprisingly textured, predominantly powdery yellow but underneath that, a greenish bark shows through.
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February 10, 2017 at 4:52 am
This is beautiful! I love Fever Trees too.
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February 10, 2017 at 6:09 am
Thanks Anne. They are gorgeous trees. Seeing them fringing the pans at Ndumo game reserve is a special memory from my childhood.
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February 9, 2017 at 10:43 pm
I love this play of light and shadow, and is the sort of thing that catches my eye when I am out on my nature walks! Wonderful image!
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February 10, 2017 at 6:05 am
Thanks Pete. It is lucky when light and shadow come together in such fleeting moments.
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