NOMANCLATURE OF KHAT

Family: Celastraceae
Genera 107 Euonymus is the most common
Common names: Bushman's tea (Eng.; Boesmanstee (Afr.); umHlwazi (Zulu); iQgwaka (Xhosa); Khat (Arabic)
South African Tree No: 404

This is a very attractive, small deciduous tree, with bright green leaves that turn to a pleasing yellowish color in autumn. Its beauty is also complemented by its upright crown, and somewhat drooping branches, resembling a eucalyptus, from a distance. Origin questionably either Ethiopia or ancient Egypt, possibly dating back to the 11th century and mentioned in the New Testament.

Catha edulis (meaning edible) foliage, commonly called Khat or Quat, is illegal in the U.S. , brought to this country by Arab Immigrants.

Photos will not print

Bundles of khat, captured by the DEA in July, 2006
(Drug enforcement administration).

Photo Leathery Leaves are opposite and hanging, (probably wind pollinated) from a 10 ft. tall deciduous and hardwood tree.

Tree classification; I would classify it as an under story tree much like Dogwood. But the Bushman’s Tea could be listed as a shrub. The stem is usually straight and slender, with a narrow crown, bark’s light grey to darker grey, often cracked and rough. Young stems are pinkish in color.

Leaf; Maturing leaves are leathery and bright shiny green on the upper surface and paler beneath, leaf margins are strongly serrated. Leaf stalks are short and pinkish in color.

Flowers; are Creamy-white to greenish minute clusters, borne in leaf axils in spring. In late October, the tree bears reddish brown, three-lobed capsules. They are 10 mm long and in late summer split to release the narrowly winged seeds. (Proves the wind pollination factor).

Propagation; C edulis seeds are gymnosperm, can be harvested before the fruit splits, and sown in trays filled with compost or seeding mix. Should be kept moist and in a well-lit area. Can also been sown directly into prepared ground. Propagation can be done using cutting from new roots, by placing them in compost filled pots, then covered with wood chip to preserve heat and moisture. Cuttings should not be watered until the shoots have appeared, to avoid rotting.

Photo Example of gymnosperm

Religion and Khat ; The Moslem faith of the Yemenites forbids intoxicants other than those prescribed for medical reasons. However, the Koran mentions only alcohol, perhaps because use of khat did not become widespread until after occupation by the Ottoman Turks in -the sixteenth century. Other countries in the Middle East impose heavy penalties equivalent to those for opium or cannabis on anyone who carries or uses khat. This is not so in Yemen, where even religious leaders may practice the habit. This may be because, in contrast to opium and cannabis, khat produces milder antisocial behavior and is more akin to amp tamine- or caffeine-type substances.

Work Cited

Wijdan luqman, B.Sc., M.B.Ch.B. (Edin); and T.S. Danowski, M.D., F.A.C.P.;
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “The Use of Khat (Catha edulis) in
Yemen Social and Medical Observations “

“Yemini Issues“,

Online internet, 4 March 2008

http://members.aol.com/yalnet/KHAT.html