Common Name:

General Information

Albizia bernieri is a deciduous tree with an umbrella-shaped crown; it can grow up to 25 metres tall. The bole can be up to 100cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild, mainly for local use of its wood.
Albizia bernieri is widespread in western Madagascar, showing a remarkable wide ecological adaptation, as it occurs in dry forests, shrubby savannah and in moist areas. Some subpopulations are known to occur within the protected areas network and even though the species is used for the timber, it does not appear to be over exploited at present. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

Seed extracts are toxic to mice[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - western Madagascar.

Habitat

Deciduous woodland and scrubland at elevations up to 100 metres[]. It is found on all soil types, but mainly in moist locations, such as clayey depressions and river banks[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Found on all soil types, but mainly in moist locations, such as clayey depressions and river banks[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Seed extracts have shown haemolytic activity in the red blood cells of sheep as well as antibacterial activity[]. They are also toxic to mice[]..

Other Uses

The bark is fibrous and can be used for making rope[].

The bark is a source of tannins[].

The wood is used in house construction and for planks[].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing.

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