Maerua angolensis DC is a 10m tall, occasionally deciduous tree of the Capparaceae or caper family, often growing on termitaria and in thickets fringing seasonal watercourses, up to 1800m. Though never common, it is widespread in tropical Africa and arid regions, being absent from high-rainfall regions. It is found in Togo, Sudan, Eritrea, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Chad, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Cameroon, Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda, Niger, Nigeria, The Gambia, Burkina Faso extending southwards into Angola, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Caprivi Strip, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. The genus comprises some 57 species, mostly in tropical Africa, but also extending into the Middle East and tropical Asia.