Common Name:

General Information

Phylloxylon xylophylloides is an evergreen tree that usually grows up to 15 metres tall, occasionally to 20 metres. The bole is usually up to 35cm in diameter, occasionally to 50cm[]. The mature tree is actually leafless, the leaf-like structures being formed from flattened stems, or 'phyllodes'[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of a valuable, hard and durable wood.
The subpopulation north of Taolañaro in Madagascar contains many individuals but will be felled for the RTZ (QIT) titanium mines in the near future, reducing the known population of this species by at least 20%[]. Consequently, the tree has been classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2010)[].

Known Hazards

The wood is used as a fish poison[].

Botanical References

Range

Africa - Madagascar.

Habitat

Evergreen, humid forests, often along water courses, at elevations from near sea level to over 1,600 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the humid tropics, where it is found at elevations from near sea level to almost 1,500 metres.
The plant grows in the wild on sandy and loamy soils[].
Phylloxylon xylophylloides shows a peculiar method of germination. A plumule is absent in the seed. The radicle penetrates into the soil while the seed remains at its position on top of the soil. In 3 - 4 months the seedling develops a spindle-shaped primary root 10 - 15 cm long and a curved hypocotyl. At this stage the cotyledonous mass of the seed has been much reduced, and the seedling enters into a resting period until the onset of the next rainy season. Then a leaf-like stem develops from a bud on the hypocotyl. The growth is very slow[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

A decoction of the twigs is used in traditional medicine as a tonic, and to treat fever and skin complaints[].

The leaves are credited with stimulant, digestive and febrifugal properties[].

The roots are depurative[].

Other Uses

A maceration of the wood is used to kill a poisonous water beetle ('tsingala')[].

The heartwood is dark reddish brown; it is distinctly demarcated from the yellowish grey to brownish grey sapwood. The grain is straight or wavy and interlocked, texture very fine. The wood is very heavy, very hard, elastic and very durable. It dries slowly, planks 25 mm thick can be dried in 3 - 4 months under high plateau conditions without twisting, splitting or deformation. Shrinkage rates from green to oven dry are high, but once dried, the wood is very stable in service. Sawing and working of the wood is difficult, and the use of stellite teeth and tungsten carbide tools is necessary; it holds nails and screws well, but pre-boring is necessary; gluing is difficult but varnishing and waxing properties are good. The wood is traditionally used for house construction, furniture, agricultural implements and tool handles, but it is also suitable for long-lasting poles, heavy-duty flooring, turnery and novelties[, ].
The wood is used as fuelwood and for making charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed -
The seeds remain viable for up to 6 months[].

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