Common Name:

General Information

Symphonia louvelii is an evergreen tree with horizontal branches; it can grow up to 20 metres tall. The plant has a sticky, golden-yellow exudate[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of a good quality wood. The fruits are sometimes sold in local markets[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Africa - northern and eastern Madagascar.

Habitat

A shade-loving forest tree, growing below the uppermost canopy storey in moist evergreen forest, at elevations from sea-level up to 1,700 metres, exceptionally to 2,300 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	15.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

The fruit pulp is edible and often fermented to make a distilled drink[]. The fruit is a pale brown, ovoid, fleshy berry with 5 rounded sides; it is up to 16cm long and 10cm wide with a smooth or warty skin and containing 3 - 5 seeds[].

Medicinal

The exudate obtained by incision of the bark is used in traditional medicine as a fumigant to prevent a variety of diseases including smallpox, and it is applied externally to tumours, sores and scabies[].

The golden-yellow bark exudate quickly turns brown on exposure. It contains xanthones and is said to have anticancer activity[].

Other Uses

The exudate obtained by incision of the bark is used to caulk boats and to fix tool handles[].

Seed is collected for its oil, which is not edible, but used as hair and body oil and in pharmaceutical ointments[]. The seeds yield about 40% oil. The melting-point of the oil is 15 - 16°c. The oil contains about 65% unsaturated fatty acids, mainly oleic acid. It is suited for soap and candle production[].

Branches of several Symphonia species are used to make wreaths that are worn on the head during ceremonies and festivals.[].

The heartwood is buff-brown with shades of yellow or orange; it is distinctly demarcated from the sapwood. The grain is generally straight, texture moderately coarse to coarse; lustre medium with a mealy appearance, conspicuous lines and arches on the radial surface and mottling on the tangential surface. The wood is moderately heavy, hard, flexible, moderately durable under humid conditions or in contact with the ground, but it is not easily affected by salt water. Shrinkage during drying is considerable. The wood works easily; gluing, painting and varnishing properties are good; it has excellent steam-bending properties. A favourite wood for shipbuilding, it is also highly valued for furniture, cabinet making and joinery, and is also suitable for interior construction, flooring, boxes, crates and implements[].
The wood is used for fuel[].

Propagation

Seed -

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