Much confusion occurs over the names of trees in Somalia amongst expatriates due to

problems with translation. Therefore in this book the international botanical name is
taken as the standard. In the Tables below, Somali names are listed against botanical
names to clarify which tree is which. Sources for these names are derived from the
Somali teachers at the NRA forestry school, Peter Kuchar and Michael Madany.
Table 1: Botanical tree names
Botanical

Somali

Arabic

English

Acacia albida

Garbi

Haraz

Apple ring acacia

Acacia bussed

Galool

Acacia nilotica

Tugaar

Sunt

Egyptian thorn

Acacia senegal

Cadaad

Hashab, Alloba

Gum arabic

Acacia tortilis

Qurac

Seyal

Umbrella thorn

Balanites aegyptiaca

Quud

Heglig (Lalob)

Soapberry tree

Boswellia frereana

Yagcar

Commiphora myrrha

Dheddin

Conocarpus lancifolius

Dhamas

Common tug tree

Cordeauxia edulis

Gud

Yihib nut tree

Cordia sinensis

Mareer

Dobera glabra

Garas

Mikah

Hyphaene compressa

Baar

El Dom

Doum palm

Juniperus excelsa

Dayib

Ar Ar

Pencil cedar

Phoenix dactylifera

Timir

Nakl-el-Balah

Date palm

Salvadora persica

Caday

Araq

Toothbrush tree

Tamarindus indica

Raqay

Abal

Tamarind

A. Somali trees

Frankin-cense tree
Balsam

Myrrh tree

Tamaria aphylla

Dhuur

Terminalia prunioides

Hareeri

Terminalia spinosa

Xarar

Ziziphus mauritiana

Gob

Atel, Tarfah

Tamarisk

Spiny desert tree

Nabk

Chinese date

Dakn-el-Bashna

Siris tree

B. Foreign trees
Albizia lebbeck
Azadirachta indica

Geed hindi

Neem

Cassia siamea

Boordi

Ironwood

Casuarina equisetifolia

Shawri

Whistling pine

Eucalyptus camaldulensis

Baxerasaaf

Kafur

Red river gum

Khaya senegalensis

Mahogany

Kaya

African mahogany

Leucaena leucocephala
Parkinsonia aculeata

Ipil-ipil tree
Geed
walaayo

Hardbean

Prosopis chilensis

Mesquite

Prosopis cineraria

Ghaf

Prosopis juliflora
Schinus moue

Ghaf
Algaroba

Mirimiri

Sesbania grandiflora

Filfilrafie

Pepper tree

Sisaban

Corkwood tree

C. Foreign fruit trees

Anacardium occidentale

Bibbo

Cashew nut

Annona muricata

Anuune
(weyn)

Soursop

Annona squamosa

Anuune
(yare)

Sweetsop,
sugarapple

Carica papaya

Babbaay

Papaya

Citrus aurantifolia

Liin

Mawaleh

Lime

Citrus paradisi

Bombelmo

Mawaleh

Grapefruit

Cocos nucifera

Naarajiin

Bondog

Coconut

Mangifera indica

Cambe

Mango

Mango

Psidium guajava

Seytuun

Guwafa

Guava

Terminalia catappa

Beydaan

Luze

Indian almond

Table 2: Somali tree names

Somali

Botanical

A. Somali trees
Cadaad

Acacia senegal

Caday

Salvadora persica

Dayib

Juniperus procera

Dhamas

Conocarpus lancifolius

Dhuur

Tamarix aphylla

Dheddin

Commiphora myrrha

Galool

Acacia bussei

Garbi

Acacia albida

Garas

Dobera glabra

Gob

Ziziphus mauritiana

Xarar

Terminalia spinosa

Hareeri

Terminalia prunioides

Baar

Hyphaene compressa

Mareer

Cordia sinensis

Qurac

Acacia tortilis

Quud

Balanites aegyptiaca

Raqay

Tamarindus indica

Timir

Phoenix dactylifera

Tugaar

Acacia nilotica

Yagcar

Boswellia frereana

Yicib

Cordeauxia edulis

B. Foreign trees
Baxerasaaf

Eucalyptus
camaldulensis

Boordi

Cassia siamea

Geed hindi

Azadirachta indica

Geed walaayo

Parkinsonia aculeata
Prosopis juliflora

Mahogany

Khaya senegalensis

Mirimiri

Schinus molle

Shawri

Casuarina equisetifolia
Albizia lebbeck
Leucaena lencocephala
Prosopis chilensis
Prosopis cineraria

Sesbania grandiflora.
C. Foreign fruit
trees
Anuune (weyn)

Annona muricata

Anuune (yare)

Annona squamosa

Babbaay

Carica papaya

Beydaan

Terminalia catappa

Bibbo

Anacardium
occidentale

Bombelmo

Citrus paradisi

Cambe

Mangifera indica

Liin

Citrus aurantifolia

Naarajiin

Cocos nucifera

Seytuun

Psidium guajava

Table 3: Somali tree names with regional and spelling variations

A. Somali trees
Cadaad:

Caddad cad, Cadaad geri, Edad, Idad, Adat, Adad Geri,

Adad Jerri, Jalegan, Cadad, Adad
(Gum: Xabag cadaad)

Adei:

Caday, Rumay, Addai, Ade, Adi, Arak, Rak,

Adai, Adaj, Hadai, Hadi, Aie, Aras

(Toothstick:Rummei,Rummi, Rummay)
Dayib:

Dayeb, Deyib, Daiyib, Deid, Sigib, Taiid,

Tajib, Zerida

Dhamas:

Hadeti, Damas, Sammas, Hodeti, Damask

(Wood: Shalman, Rawakib, Tassasi)

Dheddin:

Dhiddin, Gowlalla, Xagar, Xoday, Haggar, Golelu, Hotai,

Surut,
Wedu Dedin (Myrre: Malmol)

Galool:

Galol, Galoll, Sarmaan Dhaadheer

Garabi:
Garas:

Geras, Kharas, Garass

Gobb:

Gop,.Gub, Gob, GheW

Xarar:

Hara, Harar, Hareeri, Hareri, Buga, Leby, Areri

Hareeri:

Harayri,Hareri, Tiyes, Ti-e, Areri, Careri, Cordoba,

Ordoba

Baar:

(Fruit: Khoone, Qoone)

Mareer:

Madheedh, Modheedh, Marerh, Marer Doeol, Madheedh,

Maded,
Mared, Maret, Marir, Bared, Morette, Maded-Goli, MaredDaol

Qurac:

Qora, Qudhac, Gurah, Gurha, Tim-ad, Abak, Abqo, Abac,

Obac,
Acab

Quud:

Koolan, Guud, Kullan, Shillan, Collum, Kullum, Ghot,

Goa, Goah, God, Gut, Ader, Kidi, Kidthi, Koulan, Kulan,
Schilling,

Quwaax, (Res in : Ha nj i-Kidt hi)

Raqay:

Rogo, Ragaay, Racai, Rakhi, Roco, Xamar, Harmar, Timir

hindi

Timir:

Kharif

Tugaar:

Tugare, Turaar, Twer, Tuwer, Tugaal, Maraa, Marah,

Dughir, Dugar

Yagear:

Yagar, Yegaar, Yehar, Moxoh Cad, Mohor, Gegar, Gehar,

Gekar, Mohor-ad (Gum-resin Mayddi Luubaan)

Gud:

(Nut: Yicib, Jicib)

B. Foreign trees
Baxarsaaf:

Baharasaaf

Boordi:
Geed hindi:

Mirimiri

Geed waalaayo
Lebi:
Mahogany:
Mirimiri:
Shawri:
C. Foreign fruit
trees
Anuune (weyn):
Anuune (yare):
Babbaay:

Mafafay, Babay

Beydaan:

Bidan

Bibbo:

Kashew

Bombelmo:
Cambe:

Ambo, Amba

Liin:
Naarajiin:

(Fruit: Qunbe)

Seytuun:

Zeitum

Table 4: Climatic zones

Code

Climatic zone

Rainfall
(mm/yr)

Altitude (m)

Temperature (C/yr)

Very dry

<250

0-1500

>22

Lowland dry

250-400

<700

>22

Highland dry

250-400

>500

<24

Lowland wet

>400

<700

>22

Highland wet

>400

>500

<24

Note: < = less than, > = more than.

Table 5: Trees in order of drought tolerance (in order of minimum rainfall

requirement)

Table 6: Tree uses (*=useful, **=very useful)