Afzelia quanzensis (pod mahogany, Afrikaans: peulmahonie, Venda: mutokota, Zulu: inkehli) is a species of tree native to sub-Saharan Africa.[3] It ranges from Somalia and Democratic Republic of the Congo to South Africa.[2] It is a protected tree in South Africa.[3] It belongs to the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the bean family Fabaceae.
This deciduous tree can grow up to 20 metres (66ft) height (occasionally to 35 metres),[4] and has smooth, grey bark, which can flake in irregular patches. It has glossy dark green leaves and flowers between October and November. The flowers have a solitary large red petal. After flowering, it produces a seed capsule, a thick woody pod, up to 23cm (9.1in) long, which contains 6 or 7 black seeds with a hard, bright red aril covering one end.[5]
Uses
The seeds are sometimes made into native necklaces and the timber is an ornamental hardwood, used in furniture, parquet flooring and railway sleepers.[5]
1 2 "Protected Trees"(PDF). Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Republic of South Africa. 3 May 2013. Archived from the original(PDF) on 5 July 2010.
↑ Everard, Barbara; Morley, Brian D. (1970). Wild Flowers of the World. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. p.Plate 54.
1 2 Drummond, R.B., ed. (1972). The Bundu Book of Trees, Flowers and Grasses (2nded.). Salisbury, Rhodesia: Longman Rhodesia. p.19. ISBN058257532X.
↑ Cumes, David (2009). Healing trees & plants of the Lowveld. Rael Loon, Dries Bester. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Nature. ISBN978-1-77007-833-8. OCLC506229195.
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