(Redirected from Broussonetia greveana)

The genus Allaeanthus was subsumed into Broussonetia by E.J.H. Corner (see The Classification of Moraceae, Gard Bull Singap 19(2):187-252, 1962). Recent research by Kuo‑Fang Chung et al (Molecular recircumscription of Broussonetia (Moraceae) and the identity and taxonomic status of B. kaempferi var. australis; Bot Stud (2017) 58:11 (12 pages)) has shown that Allaeanthus shoud be resurrected as a distinct genus, a treatment we are following here.

Common Name:

General Information

Broussonetia greveana is a deciduous, sometimes evergreen, tree with a spreading canopy, growing up to 25 metres tall. The bole is generally straight; it can be unbranched for up to 12 metres and up to 80cm in diameter, occasionally to 150cm[].
The wood is a popular timber in Madagascar, where it is harvested from the wild and often sold locally. The tree is also sometimes grown in Madagascar[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - western Madagascar.

Habitat

Found in all forest types, growing largest when in dry deciduous forest where it becomes part of the dominant forest layer. Found mainly on slopes at elevations up to 80o metres, in the drier areas it is restricted to locations along water courses[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Young plants grow best when in dappled shade, though older trees often grow up into the light[]. The availability of abundant water favours natural regeneration[].
Trees can reach a height up to 1 metres when 2 years old, if grown in a shady position. They are 4 - 6 metres tall by the time they are 7 years old[].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the bark is considered restorative and anthelmintic[].

Other Uses

The bark is used for clothing[].

A white latex is present in all parts of the plant; it rapidly turns pale brown on exposure to the air[]. No uses are recorded for it[].

The heartwood is creamy to brown; it is clearly demarcated from the 8 - 12cm wide strip of very pale sapwood. The wood is light in weight; soft; the heartwood is moderately resistant to fungal attacks, fairly resistant to termites, and resistant to dry wood borers; the sapwood has a low durability and should be removed or be treated with preservatives before the wood is used. The wood saws, peels and works easily with ordinary tools, and does not have a marked blunting effect on tools; it does not split on nailing and screwing; it holds nails and screws well; gluing properties are good; it polishes, waxes, varnishes and paints well. The wood is excellent for framing and construction. It is used for light interior joinery and cabinet work, ceilings, panelling, interior trim, boxes, crates, block board, laminated board, peeled and sliced veneer for non-decorative purposes, core stock and particle board. The wood is traditionally used for construction, boat building, canoes, carts, and bars of xylophones[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown in a shady position as soon as they are ripe. A germination rate of around 45% can be expected. Seedlings are pricked out into a nursery bed at a spacing of 10cm x 10cm. When grown in the shade they can be 1 metre or more tall by the time they are 2 years old[]. It is best to plant them out when they are leafless[].

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