All species formerly considered to belong to the genus Sclerolobium have been moved to Tachigali in line with the treatment by Henk van der Werff in 'A Synopsis of the Genus Tachigali (Leguminosae; Caesalpinioideae) in Northern South America', Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 95, pp 618 - 660, 2008.

Common Name:

General Information

Tachigali rugosa is a semideciduous tree with a dense, wide, umbelliform crown; it can grow 10 - 15 metres tall. The short, more or less cylindrical bole can be 40 - 50cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It can be used as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland. Very ornamental when in bloom, and providing a good shade, it can be used in landscaping[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Semideciduous forests, usually in more open and secondary formations; favouring well-drained, clayey soils; at elevations usually above 1,000 metres in Brazil[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	12.50 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist but seasonal tropics where it is usually found at elevations above 1,000 metres[].
Grows best in a sunny position[]. Prefers a well-drained, clayey soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A fast-growing plant when young[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A fast-growing tree that fixes atmospheric nitrogen and succeeds in full sun, it can be used as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland[].

Other Uses

The wood is of medium texture, moderately heavy, hard, with good mechanical properties and quite durable. It is used locally in general construction and for external purposes such as railway sleepers, bridges, fence posts, stakes etc[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

The trees of many members of this genus yield a wood suitable for light construction, known in the trade as 'tachi'[]. We do not have any more specific information for the wood of this species, but a general description of tachi wood is as follows:-
The wood is light brown; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 6cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight or slightly interlocked. The wood is light to moderately heavy; soft to moderately hard; not very durable in one report[], durable in another[]. It seasons at a nornal rate with only a slight risk of distortion, but a high risk of checking; once dry it is poorly stable in service. It is fairly easy to work, but sawn surfaces can be somewhat fuzzy - stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; nailing and screwing are good, but require pre-boring. The wood is used for purposes such as interior panelling and joinery, furniture components, light carpentry, crates and boxes[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the treated seed in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected even if the seed is treated, with the seed sprouting within 28 - 35 days[].

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