Common Name: Msasa

General Information

Brachystegia spiciformis is a very ornamental but rather slow-growing, large shrub or tree with a flat crown; it usually grows from 8 - 25 metres tall, occasionally reaching 35 - 40 metres[, , , ]. The usually straight to cylindrical bole can be free of branches for up to 15 metres, up to 120cm in diameter and sometimes fluted at the base. Usually evergreen, it becomes deciduous in dry years[]. The flowers are sweetly fragrant and the foliage, as it emerges in shades of copper, red and pink, is so colourful that it looks like flowers from a distance[].
The tree is a source of fibre, tannins, fuel, timber and medicines for the local people. The wood is occasionally traded internationally, but only as a part of mixed consignments[]. The tree is often planted for the shade it provides and as avenue trees and windbreaks[, ]. It is particularly attractive when the new leaves first grow, they are very colourful and, from a distance, give the impression of flowers[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Africa - Zimbabwe, north to Zambia and Malawi.

Habitat

In a variety of habitats from coastal to upland, generally in deciduous woodlands and open forest, on hill slopes and river banks at elevations of 50 - 2000 metres[]. Freely draining gravel escarpments and near streamsides in rainforests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of tropical and subtropical areas, where it can be grown at elevations ranging from 12 - 2,350 metres[, ]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 14 - 28°c, but can tolerate 10 - 35°c[]. It can be killed by temperatures of 1°c or lower[, ]. Another report says that mature specimens can withstand several degrees of frost in their native environment[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 1,100mm, but tolerates 500 - 1,200mm[, ].
Prefers a sunny position[]. Tolerates a wide range of soils, developing best on moist, deep, red soils and usually avoiding poorly drained and shallow soils[, ]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, tolerating 5 - 7.5[].
Flowering and fruiting depend on the climatic conditions of a certain year and do not occur every year[]. The flowers provide a good source of pollen and nectar, giving an excellent honey, which granulates very slowly[]. After pollination, fruit development takes 7 - 8 months[].
The seeds are ejected forcibly from the seedpod as it ripens, sometimes up to 10 metres from the pod[].
Hybridizes readily with Brachystegia glaucescens and Brachystegia microphylla[, ].
There are conflicting reports on whether or not this species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, so it is unclear as to whether it fixes atmospheric nitrogen[].

Edible Uses

Seed[, , ].

Medicinal

The root is astringent[, ]. An infusion provides treatment for dysentery and diarrhoea. A decoction is applied as an eyewash for conjunctivitis[, ].

The bark is used as a remedy for coughs[]. The bark is chewed as a treatment of snake bites[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Ash from the burnt wood is often used as a soil conditioner[].

Other Uses

A fibre obtained from the bark is used to make sacking material[]. The inner bark is employed to make rope for roof ties, sacks, cloth, corn bins, beehives, and for other purposes[, , ].
The bark is used to make bark cloth[]. For this purpose the trunk is stripped to a height of 2.5 - 3 metres according to the height at which the branches fork. The stripped trunk is smeared with cow-dung and wrapped round with plaintain leaves - a new bark soon forms which is ready to be used for bark cloth within 12 months. The third and fourth barks thus obtained are considered the finest in quality, though the tree might yield up to eight or more barks.
The thin outer bark is scraped off the inner bark and discarded. The inner bark is left during the night to dry, and any soft, pulpy substance is scraped off the inside. The strips of bark, which are some 120 - 180cm long and 45cm wide, are laid on a log with a flattened surface and beaten with a mallet until they are the thickness of strong brown paper, by which time they will be 180 - 270cm long and 120cm wide. It is then spread out in the sun to dry, the exposure to light giving the upper surface a tint somewhat like terra-cotta, while the underside is of a lighter shade. Any holes or flaws in the cloth are cut into neat squares and patched with pieces taken from the edges so deftly that in a well-made bark-cloth they are not noticeable. These cloths are usually made up into sheets 2.4 metres square, two lengths being stitched together and pressed in such a manner that the seam is not seen when the cloth is being worn. Strips of fibre from the dry plantain stem are used for thread[].

The bark is astringent, containing 13% tannin[, ]. It imparts a reddish colour[].
The tree yields large quantities of a deep redgum that is very rich in tannin; it should be of some commercial value[].

The heartwood is variable, ranging from pale brown to a red-brown and darkening on exposure, striping is sometimes present; it is clearly demarcated from the 5 - 12cm thick layer of creamy or white sapwood. The texture is coarse; the grain irregular and interlocked; lustrous; there is no characteristic odour or taste. The wood is very hard, heavy; it is not durable and is vulnerable to termite attack; the sapwood is readily attacked by staining fungi. It dries slowly with some tendency to warp, mostly twist; there is appreciable checking and end splitting. The timber is difficult to work and to saw, with moderate blunting of cutters, interlocked grain is liable to tear in planing; it sands to a good finish and polishes well; it has very poor steam bending properties. Even when treated, it is a rather inferior general purpose timber, used for purposes such as general construction work, furniture components, railway sleepers, parquet flooring[, , , , ].
The wood is a good fuel and makes a good quality charcoal[, ]. It is among the preferred species for charcoal making throughout southern Africa[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in situ because the seedlings are difficult to transplant[]. To get good germination results, the seed coat should be nicked at the distal (cotyledon) end of the seed using a sharp tool like a scalpel, knife or a nail clipper. Under ideal conditions, seeds germinate within 21-30 days, with an expected germination rate of mature and healthy seed lots being about 80%[].
Seed storage behaviour is orthodox. Viability can be maintained for several years in hermetic storage at 3c with 8-17% mc[].

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