Microberlinia bisulcata | |
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Microberlinia bisulcata from Korup National Park | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Genus: | Microberlinia |
Species: | M. bisulcata |
Binomial name | |
Microberlinia bisulcata | |
Synonyms | |
Berlinia bisulcata(A.Chev.) Troupin |
Microberlinia bisulcata is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae, a lowland rainforest tree that is found only in Cameroon. It is threatened by habitat destruction and exploitation. Common names include African zebrawood, tigerwood, zebrano and zingana. [2]
Microberlinia bisulcata is a tall forest tree, growing to a height of up to 40 m (130 ft) with massive buttress roots, and towering above the canopy. The lower half of the cylindrical trunk is devoid of branches. The leaves are small and the flowers are pea-like. The roots have an ectomycorrhizal association with fungi in the soil. [2]
Microberlinia bisulcata is endemic to southwestern Cameroon. It is present in Korup National Park, Loum Forest Reserve and on the northern and western foothills of Mount Cameroon. Records from elsewhere are unreliable. It occurs in lowland rainforest, typically in flat sandy areas. [1]
This tree is harvested for its valuable timber. The sapwood is 6 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) thick and clearly demarcated from the heartwood, which is pale yellow to light tan with dark streaks. The wood texture is coarse and the grain interlocking. The wood is moderately durable and is used for turnery, furniture-making and cabinet-making; it can be used to make objects such as tool handles, panelling and veneers. It is resistant to tunneling insects and moderately resistant to termites and wood-rotting fungi. [3]
Microberlinia bisulcata is selectively felled for its timber and is threatened by habitat loss, with the forest being cleared to make way for agricultural land, palm oil plantations and oil extraction. It has been extirpated from part of its range in the foothills of Mount Cameroon, and is threatened by illegal logging in the forest reserve, but should be secure in Korup National Park. [2] Altogether, the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers the tree to be Critically Endangered. [1] Conservation efforts include collecting seeds, establishing tree nurseries and planting saplings in selected locations. [2]
Mount Cameroon is an active volcano in the South West region of Cameroon next to the city of Buea near the Gulf of Guinea. Mount Cameroon is also known as Cameroon Mountain or Fako or by its indigenous name Mongo ma Ndemi. It is the highest point in sub-Saharan western and central Africa, the fourth-most prominent peak in Africa, and the 31st-most prominent in the world. The mountain is part of the area of volcanic activity known as the Cameroon Volcanic Line, which also includes Lake Nyos, the site of a disaster in 1986. The most recent eruption occurred on February 3, 2012.
Korup National Park is in the Southwest Province of Cameroon and extends over 1,260 km2 of mostly undisturbed primary forest. It is reputedly one of Africa’s oldest and richest tropical forests in terms of floral and faunal diversity. It is the most accessible rainforest national park in Cameroon with basic lodging infrastructure and a large network of trails open to visitors. The park is a popular birdwatching destination and famous for primate viewing. Researchers from various disciplines have been conducting biological studies in Korup for over three decades, generating a wealth of information on rainforest ecosystems.
Microberlinia brazzavillensis is a tree in the family Leguminosae, found in West Africa. It is also called zebrano, zingana, and allen ele, and is commonly sold in the US as zebrawood. The tree is tall and straight, growing up to 40 m in height with a diameter of up to 1 m. The flower has white petals and, as other legumes do, the tree produces pods.
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Lophira alata, commonly known as azobé, ekki or thered ironwood tree, is a species of plant in the family Ochnaceae. It is found in Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Nauclea diderrichii is a species of tree of the genus Nauclea in the family Rubiaceae. It is known by the common names bilinga, aloma, badi, kusia and opepe.
The Borneo lowland rain forests is an ecoregion, within the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, of the large island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It supports approximately 15,000 plant species, 380 bird species and several mammal species. The Borneo lowland rain forests is diminishing due to logging, hunting and conversion to commercial land use.
The Cross River National Park is a national park of Nigeria, located in Cross River State, Nigeria. There are two separate sections, Okwangwo and Oban . The park has a total area of about 4,000 km2, most of which consists of primary moist tropical rainforests in the North and Central parts, with mangrove swamps on the coastal zones. Parts of the park belong to the Guinea-Congolian region, with a closed canopy and scattered emergent trees reaching 40 or 50 meters in height.
Douala-Edéa National Park, formerly known as Douala-Edéa Wildlife Reserve, is a national park in the Littoral Region of Cameroon.
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