Common Names: Ordeal Tree, Kayimbi, Mukoso, Kabulwebulwe, Mubako, Museshe, Kalunguti, Mungansa
Family: Fabaceae (Legume Family) Caesalpinoideae
Growth Form, Habitat and Distribution
A medium-sized semi-deciduous tree with a tall, straight trunk and upward spreading branches with a closed, rounded crown. Occurs widely across Zambia in most woodland types, but not in the Gwembe valley. Similar to Burkea africana and Erythropleum suaveolens (also Ordeal Tree), but the latter is confined to northern Zambia gallery forests and has shiny, pointed leaflets and 2 to 3 pairs of pinnae.Size Height up to 18m, spread 5 to 9m.
Bark Reddish, becoming dark grey-brown with uniform rectangular scales. When damaged exudes a hardening red sap.
Leaves Clustered at branch ends, compound, bipinnate with 3 to 4 pairs of opposite pinnae each with 8 to 17, alternate, densely-arranged, elliptical, papery, grey-green leaflets, velvety below (2.5 to 5cm) angled to the rachis. Petiole 1.5 to 5cm.
Flowers Dioecious. In dense groups of spikes (up to 10cm) of small, sweet-scented, fluffy (stamens), white to yellowish (5mm), August to October, producing much nectar.
Fruit Flat, brown, smooth, elliptical, dehiscent pods (up to 18cm) ripening May to September, splitting on both sides. 1 or 6 flat glossy brown seeds attached to the pod.
Uses The reddish-brown wood is resistant to bore attack and polishes well. Bark and roots contain an lethal alkaloid.
Other species in Zambia: 1 other species, Erythrophleum suaveolens.
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ZK100.00Price
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