Cassine is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the family Celastraceae (order Celastrales), established by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The genus contains 11 accepted species (per Plants of the World Online, 2026), distributed across southern and southeastern Africa, Madagascar, the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, and Java.
Cassine species are evergreen shrubs or small to medium-sized trees, typically 2–5 m tall but capable of reaching 12–15 m in favorable conditions. The crown is rounded and trunks are often crooked, with greyish-brown bark that flakes off in thin scales to expose a distinctive powdery saffron-yellow pigment in the outer layers. Leaves are opposite, tough, thick, and leathery, appearing shiny dark green above and paler beneath. They range from elliptic to nearly round, with short petioles and often slightly rolled margins. New growth emerges copper-coloured.
The flowers are small, white, and fragrant, borne in loose branching clusters from late summer through winter. They are bisexual. Fruits develop as small oval berries — initially green, maturing through yellow and reddish-purple to dark purple and fleshy — each containing one to six seeds. The fruits are consumed by birds.
The most well-known species is Cassine peragua (Cape saffron, bastard saffron), the type species, an ornamental tree valued for its saffron-coloured trunk, fragrant flowers, and bird-attracting fruits. Another notable species is Cassine parvifolia. Several former Cassine species have been reclassified — notably Cassine orientalis is now accepted as Elaeodendron orientale — reflecting significant taxonomic revision of the southern African members of the genus, with species reassigned to Elaeodendron, Lauridia, Robsonodendron, and Mystroxylon.
Etymology
The genus name Cassine traces to "cassena", a term used by indigenous peoples of Carolina (USA) for the medicinal holly Ilex cassine (dahoon). Carl Linnaeus, when establishing the genus Cassine in 1753, confusingly based the name of the type species Cassine peragua on Paraguay tea (Ilex paraguariensis, also known as yerba mate), hence the epithet meaning "cassine of Paraguay" — a misnomer, as the species is native to South Africa.
Distribution
Cassine species are native to a broad paleotropical range spanning southern and southeastern Africa (including Eswatini), Madagascar, the Indian Subcontinent, Indochina, and Java. In southern Africa, Cassine peragua — the most widespread species — occurs from the Bokkeveld Mountains and Cape Peninsula eastward through the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, extending to isolated localities in Mpumalanga and Limpopo. It inhabits forests, forest margins, kloofs, coastal dune scrub, thickets, rocky slopes, and mountain streamsides.
Taxonomy Notes
The genus Cassine was described by Linnaeus in 1753, with authority Cassine L. As of 2026, Plants of the World Online accepts 11 species — a broader circumscription than older South African treatments which recognized only 3 species in the region (C. peragua, C. parvifolia, C. schinoides). Multiple southern African species formerly placed in Cassine have been reclassified into related genera including Elaeodendron, Lauridia, Robsonodendron, and Mystroxylon. Notably, Cassine orientalis (Jacq.) Kuntze, listed in some legacy databases, is now treated as Elaeodendron orientale Jacq. Taxonomic disagreement persists between authorities: GBIF recognizes only 5 accepted Cassine species while POWO recognizes 11, with the Asian species accepted by POWO not appearing in all databases.
Ecology
The berry-like fruits of Cassine species are eaten by birds, which act as seed dispersers. The trees occur across varied habitats from deep Afromontane forest to coastal dunes and dry rocky mountain slopes.
Cultivation
Cassine peragua is cultivated as an ornamental garden tree in South Africa and similar climates. It is slow-growing but tough and wind-tolerant, forming an attractive domed shape with its distinctive saffron-coloured trunk. It should not be planted near wooden decks or paving, as the abundant berries stain surfaces. Propagation is by seed (sown fresh in late summer or stored for spring/early summer) or by semi-hardwood cuttings taken from new growth in spring or early summer. Cuttings are slow to root and benefit from rooting hormone, a well-drained medium, and mist conditions; callused cuttings that fail to root may respond to re-scoring and re-treatment.
History
The wood of Cassine peragua is yellowish, hard, and tough, taking a handsome finish when varnished. It was historically used by cabinet-makers and wheelwrights, and for making sticks and ladles. The leaves have been reported toxic in animal trials, causing fatalities. During the era of Simon van der Stel (late 17th century), the wood was used to carve large ladles (lepels), giving rise to the Afrikaans common name lepelhout (spoonwood).
