Entandrophragma angolense | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Sapindales |
Family: | Meliaceae |
Genus: | Entandrophragma |
Species: | E. angolense |
Binomial name | |
Entandrophragma angolense (Welw.) Panshin | |
Entandrophragma angolense, called the tiama, is a tree species with alternate, pinnately compound leaves that are clustered at the ends of branches. It is within the family Meliaceae and has a wide distribution area, occurring in moist semi-deciduous and evergreen forest regions of Tropical Africa from Sierra Leone to Uganda. [2]
Harvesting for timber has caused the species to become vulnerable in certain countries. [2]
Entandrophragma angolense was first indicated as belonging to the Swietenia family but upon a revision in 1894 by de Candolle, the species was transferred to a new genus Entandrophragma. [3] In 2021, up to 10 taxa are placed as synonyms of the species in two database. [4] [5]
The tree can grow to a height of 60 meters and reach a diameter of 200 cm, its base often has developed buttresses that can reach a height of 6 meters, and extending as surface roots, the trunk is branchless for up to 30 meters. [6] The grey-brown bark tends to be thin and smooth with irregular flaking in small and large pieces leaving concave or mussel-shell shaped scars, slash is pink to reddish. [2] Leaves are paripinnately compound, up to 50 cm long and tufted at the ends of branches, 4-11 pairs of opposite leaflets per pinnae, petiole is up to 18 cm long. [7] [2] Leaf-blade outline is commonly oblong to obovate, 3.5–12 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, upper surface is dark green and coriaceous. Flowers are in dense panicles, clustered at the end of branches, petal is greenish white in color, flowering period is between November and February. [2] Fruits is a large pendulous capsule, up to 22 cm long. [6] [7]
The species distribution is wide spread in tropical Africa, its native range is within the evergreen and semi-deciduous forest zones of West, Central and East Africa. [7] In Eastern Africa, majorly Kenya and Uganda, occurrence is of a lower density than in Central and West Africa. [8]
Chemical compounds including the limonoids: 7α- acetoxydihydronomilin, 7α- obacunylacetate and Methyl angolensate have been isolated from methanol extracts of the stem bark of the species. [9] [10]
Timber traded as Tiama mahogany, White tiama or Genu Nohur is used for cabinet making, furniture and interior and exterior joinery. [2] In traditional medicine, extracts of the stem bark is used to treat various gastrointestinal afflictions and a decoction is consumed to treat fever. [11]
Meliaceae, the mahogany family, is a flowering plant family of mostly trees and shrubs in the order Sapindales.
Entandrophragma cylindricum is a tree of the genus Entandrophragma of the family Meliaceae. It is commonly known as sapele or sapelli or sapele mahogany, as well as aboudikro, assi, and muyovu.
Entandrophragma is a genus of eleven known species of deciduous trees in the family Meliaceae.
Aglaia argentea is a species of plant in the family Meliaceae. It is a tree found in Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Thailand.
Khaya anthotheca, with the common name East African mahogany, is a large tree species in the Meliaceae family, native to tropical Africa.
Milicia excelsa is a tree species from the genus Milicia of the family Moraceae. Distributed across tropical Central Africa, it is one of two species yielding timber commonly known as ọjị, African teak, iroko, intule, kambala, moreira, mvule, odum and tule.
Distemonanthus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Dialioideae. It contains a single species, Distemonanthus benthamianus, a deciduous tree, which occurs widely but sparsely in the forest regions of Tropical West and Central Africa; it is sometimes confused with Pericopsis laxiflora due to similar morphological features.
Entandrophragma caudatum, or mountain mahogany, is a large Southern African tree belonging to the mahogany family and found in eastern and north eastern South Africa, Eswatini, Botswana, Angola, the Caprivi Strip region of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. Kew currently recognises 12 other species of Entandrophragma, all with a tropical and sub-tropical African distribution.
Okoubaka aubrevillei is a rare tropical tree species distributed throughout tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa that is thought to be the largest known parasitic plant.
Vitex thyrsiflora is a species of woody vine in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to tropical West and Central Africa. Its hollow stem is used as a home by an aggressive species of ant.
Ongokea is a genus of flowering plants, with one species Ongokea gore (Boleko). In the APG IV system, the genus is placed in the family Olacaceae. Other sources place it in the segregate family Aptandraceae.
Duguetia staudtii is a medium-sized evergreen tree within the Annonaceae family. Species is one of four within the genus Duguetia that is native to Africa.
Osodendron altissimum, formerly known as Albizia altissima, is a low branching tree within the Fabaceae family, it grows along river banks in the Lower and Upper Guinean and Congolian forests of west and central Africa.
Annickia polycarpa is a small to medium-sized tree found in evergreen forests of West and Central Africa, it is within the Annonaceae family. It is also called the African Yellow wood.
Gambeya africana is a medium sized tree within the Sapotaceae family. It is sometimes known as the African Star Apple along with the closely related Gambeya albida. Both species have similar leaf indumentum and are widespread in the Lower and Upper Guinea forest mosaic.
Anthonotha macrophylla is a shrub to small understory tree within the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to the rain forest regions of West Africa and it is the most common of species within the Anthonotha genus in Africa.
Berlinia grandiflora is a small to medium sized tree found in the West and West Central African region along riparian habitats or gallery forests habitat types.
Mammea africana is a medium to large sized tree within the family Calophyllaceae, it is also known as African mammee apple and its timber is traded under the trade name, Oboto. Mammea africana is found in evergreen and semi deciduous forests in West and Central Tropical Africa.
Sacoglottis gabonensis, commonly known as bitterbark tree or cherry mahogany is a medium to large sized evergreen tree within the Humiriaceae family. It is the only species within the genus, Sacoglottis that is native to tropical Africa, another, guianensis Benth. being native to Amazonia. It occurs in rainforests or on sandy soils of Senegal eastwards to Angola in central Africa. It is traded locally and known in some countries under the name Ozouga.
Ficus laurifolia is an hemi-epiphytic species that sometimes grows as a shrub or liana or as a tree, the species is within the family Moraceae.
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