Typical of the Celastraceae family
Catha edulis
Qat / Arabian Tea قات
Urdu name · See all regional names ↓
- Habit
- Tree
- Native to
- Ethiopia
- Flowering
- September-January
Qat in regional languages
Find the name you know, then compare it with the botanical profile. Columns list recorded aliases; they are not paired translations. A Latin spelling appears only when it is present in the source record.
| Language | Regional script | Recorded Latin spelling |
|---|---|---|
| Urdu | قات | Qat |
See the original recorded names
- Urdu
- Qat قات
Ecology & growing context
- Native status · Kew WCVP
- WCVP native range does not include India Kew dataset ↗︎
Kew WCVP dataset; accepted-name match. Dataset matching is separate from an individual regional review. Recorded worldwide native range: Eritrea to S. Africa. Not listed native does not establish introduction or absence from India.
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Occurrence records show where a plant has been recorded; they do not establish that it is native there. Compare local habitat and growing conditions when choosing plants for a garden.
How to identify Qat
Identify Qat by combining habit, leaf characters, flower or fruit details, location, and its family pattern. Do not rely on one feature alone.
- Look for a tree habit.
- Check the distinctive field mark: Leaves chewed as a mild stimulant (khat).
- Confirm leaf shape: Glossy oval.
- Confirm flower colour: White.
- Confirm flower arrangement: Cyme.
- In season, compare flowering and fruiting time: September-January.
- Confirm it sits within the Celastraceae family pattern, then compare close relatives before deciding it is Qat.
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Catha edulis
- Genus
- Catha
- Family
- Celastraceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Native to
- Ethiopia
- Flowering & fruiting
- September-January
- Conservation status
- Least Concern (LC)
Leaf characters
- Leaf shape
- Glossy ovalrecorded
Typical of the family
Characters marked “recorded” are for Qat itself; the rest are typical of the Celastraceae family.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower colour
- Whiterecorded“Each flower is small, with five white petals.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Flower arrangement
- CymerecordedA branched cluster where the central/terminal flower opens first.“The shrub's flowers are produced on short axillary cymes that are 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) in length.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fruit type
- SamararecordedA dry, winged fruit adapted for wind dispersal.“The samara fruit is an oblong, three-valved capsule, which contains one to three seeds.” — Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Typical of the family
- Inflorescence
- Cyme
Characters marked “recorded” are for Qat itself; the rest are typical of the Celastraceae family — flowering plants only.
About Qat
Arabian Tea (Catha edulis) is a tree in the Celastraceae family. It is native to Ethiopia. Flowering and fruiting run from September to January.
Uses
Locally it is tapped for gum or resin.
Celastraceae
Staff-Tree Family
Qat belongs to the Celastraceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
Explore the Celastraceae familySnap it. Know it.
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Common plant problems
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