MATOPPIE
Crafted and perfected by the hand of HB Klopper
About Matoppie
We are crafting our unique spirits from elements of the Boscia Albitrunca, commonly known as the Matoppie/Witgat tree or Shepherd tree.
It is often called the Tree of Life as it offers sustenance to both humans and animals.
ABOUT THE TREE
Boscia Albitrunca, commonly known as the Matoppie/Witgat (Afrikaans), Shepherd tree (English), Mohlôpi (Northern Sotho), Motlôpi (Tswana), Umvithi (Zulu), Muvhombwe/Muthobi (Venda) or Umgqomogqomo (Xhosa), is a protected tree in South Africa. Boscia belongs to the caper family Capparaceae. The species epithet "Albitrunca" refers to the oftentimes white trunk. It takes decades to develop its characteristic white trunk. Boscia Albitrunca is closely related to the Boscia Foetida subspecies Rehmanniana, which has much smaller leaves and velvet-textured fruits. The genus was named after Louis Bosc (1759–1828), a French professor of agriculture who lived through the revolution. The tree is the most common of the eight species in its genus and is usually found in the drier parts of southern Africa. It is often called the Tree of Life as it offers sustenance to both humans and animals.
Protected Trees. 2010. Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Republic of South Africa. Available from https://web.archive.org/web/20100705085122/http://www2.dwaf.gov.za/dwaf/cmsdocs/4116___poster%20protected%20trees.pdf (Accessed on 26 February 2022).
The roots have many uses. Traditionally, the tree was used by Dutch settlers, "boere", to create a variant of coffee that is derived from the roots of the tree. They used to dry, roast and grind the roots to make a passable substitute for coffee or chicory, or else pound them to obtain a white meal for porridge. The roots are also used to make a beer. In Botswana the old trunks are hollow and hold rainwater, which is tapped out by the Bushmen. The leaves are nutritious and are often browsed by cattle, although the milk is then said to be tainted. A cold infusion of the leaves is applied as a lotion to the inflamed eyes of cattle and decoction of the roots provides treatment for heamorrhoids. The fruits are used in traditional dishes and the flower buds as caper substitutes in pickles. It is said that if the fruits wither before the millet crop is ripe, the harvest will be a failure. Household utensils are made from the wood. If the wood is burnt, it is believed that cows will produce only bull calves. These trees also future in the folklore and spiritual beliefs of many African people. In some areas it is believed that the wood must never be burnt as it will results in cows producing only bull calves. It is also said, that if the fruit withers before the millet crop is ripe the harvest will be a failure. Many African people hold these trees in deep regard and the destruction thereof is forbidden.
It is an evergreen tree native to southern and tropical Africa, living in the hot, dry, and often brackish low-lying areas, sometimes on abundant lime or occasionally found in rocky terrain. It is a common tree of the Molopo, Kalahari, highveld and lowveld. The vast distribution range covers Botswana, Limpopo, Gauteng, North-West, Swaziland, the Free State, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. It also extends into Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It is one of the most important forage trees in the Molopo and Kalahari. The picture to right was taken in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and estimated to be about 500 years old.
This tree grows up to 10 m (33 ft) tall but is usually much smaller. It has a prominent, sturdy white trunk frequently with strips of rough, dark-coloured bark. The bark is smooth and whitish-grey to reflect the sun’s rays as an adaptation to conserve water. The leaves are a very nourishing fodder, hence the crown is often browsed by antelope and all grazers that can reach the foliage, resulting in a conspicuous flattened underside or browse-line. The leaves are narrow, oblanceolate, and stiff with veins obscure except for the distinct midrib. The leaves are reduced, hard and leathery to prevent much water loss through transpiration. The flowers are small, greenish-yellow, star-shaped, and clustered. The fruits, on a jointed stalk, are about 10 mm (0.4 in) in diameter and are brittle-skinned with a whitish flesh and large endocarp. The fruit is edible for both human and animal. A specimen found in the central Molopo/Kalahari in 1974 had roots extending to 68 m (223 ft) deep, making it the plant with the deepest known roots.
The species has a number of pollinators and is a source of food for various mammals, birds and butterflies. Livestock as well as other herbivores in savanna areas such as giraffe, gemsbok and kudu browse the tree. The tree is often a food plant for the larvae of butterflies (the family Pteridae-whites). Gardeners find this a worthwhile tree to plant, as it is hardy and drought-resistant. It is easily propagated and grows from shoot and root cuttings.
Havenga, C. J., Van Niekerk, W. A., Rethman, N. F. G. & Coertze, R. J. 2004. Certain qualitative characteristics of Boscia foetida at different sites in South Africa. South African Journal of Animal Science, Vol 34, pp62–64. Available from https://web.archive.org/web/20160816040238/http://www.sasas.co.za/sites/sasas.co.za/files/havengagoat04_0.pdf (Accessed on 26 February 2022).
Canadell, J., Jackson, R.B., Ehleringer, J.B., Mooney, H.A., Sala, O.E. & Schulze, E.D. 2004. Maximum rooting depth of vegetation types at the global scale. Oecologia, Vol 108 (4), pp583–595.
Our collection of spirits
