Bushman's Candle

Description:

Spiny shrub with thick stems surrounded by translucent flammable wax bark. The thick waxy layer protects the plant from moisture loss as well as damage from wind-blown sand, hence allowing it to withstand the extreme climate fluctuations in the western parts of South Africa and Namibia. The waxy coating polishes the stems to a golden-brown color over time.

Habitat:

Stony ridges, rocky mountainsides and red dune sands.

Notes:

The San bushmen have used these shrubs as a fuel source for a long period of time, since the bark will burn very easily, even when it's not entirely dry. That is how it came by its name: Bushman's Candle.