Common Name: Badi

General Information

Badi is a very large evergreen tree with a dense, broad, spherical crown; usually growing 40 metres tall, exceptionally to 50 metres[]. The straight, cylindrical bole can be unbranched for up to 27 metres[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of wood. The wood is of high quality and is also traded. Badi has potential as a pioneer tree when restoring native woodland, it is sometimes cultivated as a shade tree and nurse tree for more valuable timber species, and occasionally as a useful species in its own right[].
The tree is heavily exploited from the wild for its timber[]. Regeneration is good in large canopy gaps but the species is outcompeted by other pioneers after clear-felling[]. As a result, the tree has been listed as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Western tropical Africa - Sierra Leone east to Central African Republic, south to Gabon.

Habitat

Occurs in lowland evergreen forest, at elevations up to 800 metres[]. A sun-loving species, it regenerates abundantly in gaps and openings and is often almost gregarious in the transition zone between freshwater swamp and lowland forest[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A tree of moist tropical lowlands, where it is generally found at elevations below 500 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 28 - 34°c, but can tolerate 22 - 38°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,600 - 3,500mm, but tolerates 1,200 - 4,500mm[].
Requires a sunny position, even as a young tree[]. Prefers a well-drained, moderately fertile, light to medium soil[]. Does not grow well on excessively wet soils or on lateritic ones that dry out completely in the dry season[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 6.5, tolerating 4.5 - 7.5[].
Annual wood production potential is 3 - 10 cubic metres per hectare[].
The tree coppices readily[].

Edible Uses

Used in palm soup in Ghana[]. The report is likely to be referring to the leaves or fruit, but is not specific[].

Medicinal

A decoction of the bark is used in the treatment of anaemia, stomach-ache and indigestion[]. The bark is used in an infusion to treat gonorrhoea, and as part of an infusion for treating jaundice[].

A decoction of the leaves is used as a wash for measles[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A natural pioneer species within its native range, where it can rapidly invade open areas. It should be suitable for use in reforestation projects to restore native woodland[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a golden yellow or an orangey yellow, slightly moiré - it darkens slightly when exposed to light but in interior end use this colour remains stable; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 5cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain interlocked. The wood is moderately heavy, moderately hard; it is very durable, being resistant to dry wood borers and termites, and very resistant to fungi. The wood seasons slowly, with a low risk of distortion but a high risk of checking; once dry it is moderately stable to stable in service. It can be worked with ordinary tools; filling is necessary to obtain a good finish; it is resistant to one or several acids; nailing and screwing are good, but require pre-boring; gluing is correct, but must be done with care because the wood is acid. A good quality wood, it is used for high quality goods such as furniture and cabinet making; for outdoor purposes such as railway sleepers, heavy construction, hydraulic works in contact with fresh or sea water; and in general construction for flooring, joinery, panelling etc[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - does not require pre-treatment[]. Propagation is best carried out in a nursery due to the small size of the seed[]. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots when about 1 month old[].
The seeds can remain dormant in the forest soil[].They remain viable for at least a year in storage[]. The seeds are stimulated into germination by increased light exposure[]. The effect on germination of the seed passing through an animal's gut has yet to be examined; seedlings, however, are commonly found along elephant tracks[].
Cuttings are easy[].

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