Formerly known as Ricinodendron rautanenii, the mongongo tree's a member of the family Euphorbiaceae and of the monotypic genus Schinziophyton. A large, spreading tree, the mongongo reaches 15-20 metres tall. It's found on wooded hills and amongst sand dunes, and's associated with the Kalahari sand soil-types. The leaves are a distinctive hand-shape, and the pale yellow wood's similar in characteristics to balsa, being both lightweight and strong. The yellowish flowers occur in slender, loose s… (More on Mongongo)