Cussonia

They occur in grasslands, woodlands and forests, from sea level to over 2,000 metres in altitude. Geographically, they are indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa, Yemen in the Arabian Peninsula and the Comoro Islands.[2]

They are squat to lanky shrubs and trees with a palm-like habit. Their leaves are typically grouped in umbrella-shaped arrangements at the tips of long erect branches. The leaves are carried on long petioles, and have conspicuous stipules. The leaves are very variable in shape, often palmately compound (cf. subgenus Paniculata Strey)[2] with leaflets likewise variable in shape, but also simple or palmate. Their usually dense inflorescences are often spiked, and their small flowers usually have 5 greenish petals.[3] Their stems and underground parts are succulent,[2] and their bark is often corky.[4] These plants are best grown from seed. These plants can handle an occasional and mild frost, but a chill will make the leaves fall off.[5]

There are some 20 to 22 species:[2][6]

• Cussonia angolensis (Seem.) Hiern
• Cussonia arborea Hochst. ex A.Rich.
• Cussonia arenicola Strey
• Cussonia bancoensis Aubrév. & Pellegr.
• Cussonia brieyi De Wild.
• Cussonia corbisieri De Wild.
• Cussonia gamtoosensis Strey
• Cussonia holstii Harms ex Engl.
• Cussonia jatrophoides Hutchinson & E.A.Bruce
• Cussonia natalensis Sond.
• Cussonia nicholsonii Strey
• Cussonia ostinii Chiov.
• Cussonia paniculata Eckl. & Zeyh.
• Cussonia sessilis Lebrun
• Cussonia sphaerocephala Strey
• Cussonia spicata Thunb.
• Cussonia thyrsiflora Thunb.
• Cussonia transvaalensis Reyneke
• Cussonia zimmermannii Harms
• Cussonia zuluensis Strey

• 
  Palmate leaf of Cussonia natalensis
• 
  Compound leaf of Cussonia nicholsonii (6 leaflets)
• 
  Inflorescences of Cussonia paniculata
• 
  Infrutescences of Cussonia thyrsiflora