Vol. 79 No. 06 (2024): The South African Dental Journal

The fever tree, with its smooth lime green trunk, has an almost alien appearance. In spring, bright yellow flower clusters cover its canopy, concealing its thorns. These thorns are used by insect-eating birds to 
skewer their prey. The tree’s name comes from the belief that it caused fevers, as it grows in swampy areas where malaria-carrying mosquitoes thrive. Despite this, animals still lounge near the tree and feed on its seedpods and leaves. Interestingly, the bark of the fever tree can be used to relieve fever and eye problems.