Common Name:

General Information

Gilbertiodendron dewevrei is an evergreen tree with a dense crown; it can grow from 25 - 45 metres tall. ; The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branches for 5 - 22 metres and 50 - 200cm in diameter; it is free of buttresses but slightly thickened at the base[, ].
The wood is traded internetionally, but only in small quantities[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

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

Habitat

Sandy soils; in nearly pure stands; very common here and there on firm ground; more sporadic in riverine forest formations, periodically flooded or swampy; muhulu; in stands in tropophyllous forests; at elevations up to 750 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	35.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Gilbertiodendron dewevrei occurs below 1,000 metres elevation, in areas with an average annual rainfall of 1,600 - 1,900mm and a dry season of about 2 months[].
When growing on deep, well-draining sandy soils, the tree forms a deep tap root; but on stony soils tap root formation is difficult, and the formation of lateral roots becomes prominent[].
Flowering does not always occur annually, and many flowers are shed without forming fruits. Still, fruiting is usually abundant, with mast seed production every 2 - 4 years[].
Seed dispersal is ballistic, with the seeds being ejected after explosive dehiscence of the fruit[]. Natural regeneration is abundant under shade, and seedlings tolerate dense shade for a long time[].
The average annual increase in stem diameter is 5.3 mm. Observations on 10 trees originating from Gabon and Congo show annual increases in stem diameter of 2.6 - 11.4 mm[].
The tree can form extensive, almost pure stands, sometimes covering more than 10,000 ha. In these monodominant forests, Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forms 75 - 88% of the basal area. In DR Congo these stands typically consist of 3 layers: a continuous upper tree layer about 35 metres high, almost uniformly consisting of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei, with in some places the crown of another large, sun-loving tree species; a not very dense middle layer mainly consisting of young Gilbertiodendron dewevrei mixed with several rare semi-heliophytes; a shrub layer; and a discontinuous herbaceous layer of Marantaceae and Commelinaceae.
The monodominant Gilbertiodendron dewevrei forests are very sensitive to forest clearing for shifting cultivation, because this permits the penetration of secondary and deciduous species into the forest. If forest clearing is too substantial and frequent, the monodominant forests may be transformed into semi-deciduous forest or degraded savannah after only 4 - 6 years of cultivation. Near the northern and southern limits of its distribution area, Gilbertiodendron dewevrei does not form stands as extensive as in the northern Congo basin, but it persists along rivers. Where Gilbertiodendron dewevrei is found in heterogeneous forest, it is never as isolated trees, but always in groups[].
In natural forest, suppression of the herbaceous layer makes the establishment of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei seedlings even more abundant. Although the species is typically shade-loving, moderate light is beneficial for the growth of seedlings, but full light has adverse effect. Excessive opening of the canopy of dense Gilbertiodendron dewevrei stands will favour the establishment of light-loving species with rapid growth, often accompanied by abundant growth of lianas, which is not desirable for the establishment of exploitable Gilbertiodendron dewevrei stands[].
The roots are colonized by ectomycorrhizae and vesicular-arbuscular endomycorrhizae. The proportion of the roots that is colonized by ectomycorrhizae increases with age in saplings. The rapid colonization of the roots by ectomycorrhizae gives the seedlings an advantage over species that are not or more slowly colonized. In dense, undisturbed stands, the roots are not nodulating with Rhizobium, but some root nodules can be found in disturbed forest[].
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

Although it has been recorded that it takes a long time to remove toxic compounds from the seeds, the roasted or boiled seeds are eaten in times of shortage in Central Africa, or they are boiled and ground into flour, which is made into porridge[]. The fermented seeds are ground, wrapped in leaves of Megaphrynium macrostachyum, and roasted. The seeds are also eaten by the Baka pygmy people of Cameroon, after they have been boiled and the seed coat has been removed[].
A sample of the edible portion of the seeds from DR Congo contained: 9.4g water; 1478 kJ (353 kcal) energy; 4.8g protein; 0.6g fat; 82.3g carbohydrate; 1.5g fat; and 1.5g ash[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the bark is drunk for the treatment of gastritis and blennorrhoea[]. The dried and powdered bark is taken for the treatment of dysentery[].
The sap expressed from the bark, combined with that of Tephrosia vogelii, is used as a treatment against otitis[]. Pounded scrapings of the dried bark are applied topically on burns[]. The dried and powdered bark is sprinkled on wounds[].

The leaves are used as a treatment against sterility and asthma, and to promote childbirth[].
The leaf ash is rubbed into scarifications on painful knees[].

Sap from the stem is applied on whitlows[].

Other Uses

The inner bark is used for tying and for making bands for carrying baskets, whereas bark cylinders are sometimes used for making honey containers[].
To make headbands for carrying baskets, the Mbuti pygmy people in DR Congo strip bark strips 2 metres long and 5 - 10cm wide from young trees with a bole diameter of 15 - 20cm, and remove the outer bark. The harvest of bark strips from young plants can lead to heart rot of trees[].

The leaves are used for thatching and house walls[].
In north-eastern DR Congo houses were traditionally built from material of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei and clay only: poles for the house skeleton, small branches for the walls between rooms, string from the bark of young trees for tying, and leaves for covering the roof[].

The heartwood is pale brown to dark reddish brown, darkening upon exposure; it is distinctly demarcated from the 5 - 10cm wide band of greyish or yellowish sapwood. The grain is straight or wavy, occasionally interlocked, texture medium to coarse; gum ducts are sometimes present. Quarter-sawn surfaces are slightly mottled, with alternating pale and darker brown streaks. The wood is medium-weight to heavy, durable, being moderately resistant to resistant to fungal attack, moderately resistant to termites and resistant to marine borers. Fresh wood saws relatively easily but slowly; the wood may have a significant blunting effect on saw blades, making the use of stellite-tipped saw teeth necessary; it works fairly well, but tends to blunt cutting edges; it moulds and planes easily; holds nails and screws well, but pre-boring is recommended to prevent splitting; paints, varnishes and glues well. It is not suitable for peeling. It air dries slowly, with a tendency to split; kiln drying should be done carefully to prevent distortion and checking. Once dry, the wood is moderately stable to unstable in service. The wood is very suitable for flooring, joinery, stairs, window frames, doors and decks of bridges. It can also be used for heavy construction including hydraulic works, interior trim, mine props, ship building, vehicle bodies, garden furniture, railway sleepers, toys, novelties, agricultural implements, draining boards and turnery. As the wood does not have special aesthetic qualities, it is not very suitable for cabinet work and fine joinery[].
The wood is considered unsuitable as firewood, but it is much sought after for the production of charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe. Germination is rapid, usually within 5 - 7 days after seed dispersal. Seedlings can be planted out after 9 - 12 months in the nursery[].

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