Common Name:

General Information

Celtis tessmannii is a tree with a much-branched, rounded crown; it can grow up to 40 metres tall. The bole can be straight or slightly humped-sinuous; it is 70 - 100cm in diameter and either slightly winged at the base or with 4 - 6 buttresses 3 - 5 metres high[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and also exported.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Cameroon, southern Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, DR Congo, northern Angola.

Habitat

Rain-forests; sometimes in half-deciduous forests; sometimes rather abundant[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	30.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is creamy white to light yellow, bordering on light brown; it is not distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The grain is usually straight, sometimes interlocked; texture moderately fine; fresh cut and rewetted wood has an unpleasant odour. The wood is of moderate weight; fairly hard; of low durability, being susceptible to attacks of fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons slowly, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. It works well with both hand and machine tools, though it has a moderate blunting effect on cutting tools so stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide are recommended; straight-grained stock planes well, but a cutting angle of 15° is recommended to avoid tearing in wood with interlocked grain; it finishes and polishes very well; is difficult to nail and screw so pre-boring is recommended to prevent splitting; it glues well. The wood is used for light construction, flooring, joinery, interior trim, frames, staircases, furniture, ladders, crates, boxes, match splints, hardboard and particle board[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a nursery seedbed in a sunny position[]. A high germination rate can be expected, with the seeds sprouting within 28 - 42 days. The seedlings grow away quickly[]..

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