- Family:
- Celastraceae R.Br.
- Genus:
- Catha Forssk. ex Scop.
Catha edulis (Vahl) Endl.

[FZ]
Celastraceae, N. K. Robson. Flora Zambesiaca 2:2. 1966
- Morphology General Habit
- Tree 2–15(25) m. high; stems pale grey-green and flattened when young, becoming vinous red, terete.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaves with lamina dark green or greyish-green and glossy above, paler beneath, (3·7)5·5–11 × (0·8)1·5–4·5(6) cm., oblong to elliptic or obovate, acute to acuminate or more rarely obtuse at the apex, with margin markedly glandular-crenulate-denticulate, cuneate to angustate at the base, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, with densely reticulate venation more prominent below than above; petiole 3–10 mm. long; stipules c. 2 mm. long, triangular-acicular.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
- Flowers ?; peduncle 6–12 mm. long; bracts 0·5–1 mm. long, acicular to triangular.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Sepals 0·5–0·7 mm. long, broadly ovate to semicircular, rounded, with margin ciliate-fimbriate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Petals 1–1·5 mm. long, elliptic-oblong, with margin ciliolate and paler in colour (at least when dry).
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
- Ovary broadly ovoid; styles short.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule red, 6–10 mm. long, narrowly oblong-3-gonous, pendulous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds rugose-papillose, with a basal wing.
[FSOM]
M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS
- Morphology General Habit
- Tree, 2–15 m high; branches rounded
- Morphology Leaves
- Petiole 3–10 mm long; blade (3.7–)5.5–11 x (0.8–)1.5–4.5(–6) cm, oblong to elliptic or obovate, ± leathery, dark or greyish green and glossy above, paler beneath, acuminate to obtuse at the apex, with markedly glandular-crenulate-denticulate margins
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Cymes 1–2.3 cm long; peduncle 6–12 mm long; pedicels up to 2 mm long; flowers numerous, 2–3 mm in diam. Sepals 0.5–0.7 mm long, broadly ovate to semicircular, rounded, ciliate-fimbriate
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Petals 1–1.5 mm long, elliptic-oblong, with pale ciliate margin
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens shorter than petals
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
- Disk 1–1.5 mm in diam. Ovary broadly ovoid; styles slender; stigmas small
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule red, 0.6–1 cm long, narrowly oblong-trigonous, pendulous
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds c. 3 mm long, with narrow wing 2–2.5 times as long.
- Distribution
- Native in eastern tropical Africa from Ethiopia in the north to South Africa in the south, also cultivated in south-western Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
- Ecology
- Intermediate altitudes.
- Vernacular
- Khaad, khat, qat (Somali).
[FTEA]
Celastraceae, N.K.B. Robson, N. Hallé, B. Mathew & R. Blakelock†. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1994
- Morphology General Habit
- Tree 2–15(–25) m. high; branches pale grey-green and flattened when young, becoming vinous red, terete.
- Morphology Leaves
- Leaf-lamina dark green or greyish green and glossy above, paler beneath, oblong to elliptic or obovate, (3.7–)5.5–11 × (0.8–)1.5–4.5(–6) cm., acute to acuminate or more rarely obtuse at the apex, with margin markedly glandular-crenulate-denticulate, cuneate to attenuate at the base, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, with densely reticulate venation more prominent beneath than above; petiole 3–10 mm. long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
- Cymes 1–2.3 cm. long, rather dense, with peduncle 6–12 mm. long; pedicels very short or up to 2 mm. long; flowers many in each cyme, 2–3 mm. in diameter.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
- Sepals broadly ovate to semicircular, rounded, 0.5–0.7 mm. long, with margin ciliate-fimbriate.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
- Petals elliptic-oblong, 1–1.5 mm. long, sessile, with margin ciliolate and paler in colour.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
- Stamens shorter than petals, with filaments 0.7–1 mm. long.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Disc
- Disc 1–1.5 mm. in diameter.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
- Ovary broadly ovoid; styles less than 0.5 mm. long, slender; stigmas small.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
- Capsule red, narrowly oblong-3-gonous, 6–10 mm. long, pendulous.
- Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
- Seeds dark brown, rugose-papillose, with narrow wing 2–2.5 times as long.
- Figures
- Fig. 5.
- Habitat
- Evergreen submontane or medium altitude forest, usually near the margins, or in woodland often on rocky hills; 1100–1800(–2400) m.
- Distribution
- SW. Arabia and throughout eastern Africa from Ethiopia to South Africa (Cape Province), west to Angola K1 K3 K4 K5 K6 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 U1 U2
[FSOM]
- Use
- The leaves are chewed fresh as a stimulant and are imported in large quantities from Kenya and Ethiopia.
Native to:
Angola, Cape Provinces, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Malawi, Mozambique, Northern Provinces, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zaïre, Zimbabwe
Introduced into:
Hawaii, Somalia, Yemen
Catha edulis (Vahl) Endl. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun 30, 2010 | Banze, A. [63], Mozambique | K000546052 | No | ||
Jan 1, 1956 | Quartin-Dillom [s.n.], Ethiopia | K000035785 | Yes | ||
Codd, L.E. [7702], South Africa | K000035788 | holotype | Yes | ||
Drege [s.n.], South Africa | K000035790 | Yes | |||
Baur, R. [1124], South Africa | K000035791 | Yes | |||
Drege [s.n.], South Africa | K000035792 | Yes | |||
Schimper [1478], Ethiopia | K000035786 | Yes | |||
Chase, M. [34472] | K000543555 | No | |||
Harris, T. [32], Mozambique | K000545034 | No | |||
Schimper [649], Ethiopia | K000035787 | Yes | |||
Burchell, W.J. [5520], South Africa | K000035789 | Yes |
First published in Ench. Bot.: 575 (1841)
Accepted by
- Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Evenhuis, N.L. & Eldredge, L.G. (eds.) (2012). Records of the Hawaii biological survey for 2011. Part II: plants Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 113: 1-102.
- Exell, A.W., Fernandes, A. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1966). Flora Zambesiaca 2(2): 353-653. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Figueiredo, E. & Smith, G.F. (2008). Plants of Angola Strelitzia 22: 1-279. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa an annotated checklist Strelitzia 14: 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
- Govaerts, R. (1999). World Checklist of Seed Plants 3(1, 2a & 2b): 1-1532. MIM, Deurne.
- Hedberg, I. & Edwards, S. (eds.) (1989 publ. 1990). Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea 3: 1-659. The National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia & The Department of Systematic Botany, Upps.
- Kalema, J. & Beentje, H. (2012). Conservation checklist of the trees of Uganda: 1-235. Kew Publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
- Robson, N.K.B. & al. (1994). Flora of Tropical East Africa, Celastraceae: 1-78.
- Robyns, W. & al. (eds.) (1948-1963). Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi 1-10.
- Thulin, M. (ed.) in Thulin, M. (ed.) (1999). Flora of Somalia 2: 1-303. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2008). Flora of China 11: 1-622. Science Press (Beijing) & Missouri Botanical Garden Press (St. Louis).
Literature
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Darbyshire, I., Kordofani, M., Farag, I., Candiga, R. & Pickering, H. (eds.) (2015). The Plants of Sudan and South Sudan: 1-400. Kew publishing, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Evenhuis, N.L. & Eldredge, L.G. (eds.) (2012). Records of the Hawaii biological survey for 2011. Part II: plants Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 113: 1-102.
- Exell, A.W., Fernandes, A. & Wild, H. (eds.) (1966). Flora Zambesiaca 2(2): 353-653. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Thulin, M. (ed.) in Thulin, M. (ed.) (1999). Flora of Somalia 2: 1-303. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Wood, J.R.I. (1997). A handbook of the Yemen Flora: 1-434. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Flora of Somalia
- Flora Somalia, Vol 2, (1999) Author: by Sebsebe Demissew [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Flora of Tropical East Africa
- Battiscombe, A Descriptive Catalogue of Some of the Common Trees and Woody Plants of Kenya Colony p. 73 (1926).
- Dale & Greenway, Kenya Trees and Shrubs p. 134 (1961).
- Endl., Enchirid. Bot.: 575 (1841).
- J.P.M. Brenan, Check-lists of the Forest Trees and Shrubs of the British Empire no. 5, part II, Tanganyika Territory p. 123 (1949).
- Loes. & Engl. in A. Engler & O. Drude, Die Vegetation Der Erde, IX, Pflanzenwelt Afrikas 3(2): 231, fig. 114 (1921).
- Loes. in A. Engler & K. Prantl, Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien, ed. 2, 20b: 154 (1942).
- Loes. in Die Pflanzenwelt Ost-Afrikas und der Nachbargebiete, Theile B: 255, 321 (1895)
- Loes. in Die Pflanzenwelt Ost-Afrikas und der Nachbargebiete, Theile C: 246 (1895).
- N. Robson & Sousa, Fl. Moçamb. 48: 29 (1969).
- N. Robson in Fl. Ethiopia 3: 340, fig. 108.4 (1990).
- N. Robson in Flora Zambesiaca 2: 381 (1966).
- Oliv. in Flora of Tropical Africa 1: 365 (1868).
- R. Wilczek in Flore du Congo Belge et du Ruanda-Urundi, 9: 126 (1960).
- Robyns, Flore des Spermatophytes du Parc National Albert 1: 501 (1948).
- Verdc. & Trump, Common Poisonous Pl. E. Afr.: 97 (1969).
- W.J. Eggeling, Indigenous Trees of the Uganda Protectorate, ed. 2: 78 (1952).
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Flora Zambesiaca
Flora Zambesiaca
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Flora of Somalia
Flora of Somalia
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Flora of Tropical East Africa
Flora of Tropical East Africa
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© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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