Common Name:

General Information

Afzelia xylocarpa is a deciduous tree with a broad, rounded crown; usually growing 15 - 25 metres tall but with exceptional specimens to 40 metres[]. The bole has a tendency to be crooked and forked; it can be 90 - 150cm in diameter, often with buttresses[, , ].
The tree is highly valued for its attractive timber, and has been widely exploited from the wild in the past. It is only available in small quantities nowadays due to the scarcity of the trees, and thus fetches very high prices[]. It is cultivated in gardens in southern Chinas for medicinal purposes and is also grown on a small scale for the utilization of its wood[].
Because of high levels of exploitation and habitat loss, large trees are scarce and hard to find[]. The tree is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Southeast Asia - Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam.

Habitat

Dense forest, and in transitional areas between evergreen and dry open dipterocarp forest[]. Found in mixed deciduous or dry evergreen forest on clayey or laterite soils at elevations from 100 - 600 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, where it is usually found at elevations from 100 - 650 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime annual temperatures are within the range 20 - 32°c, though it can tolerate 12 - 39°c[]. It does badly if temperatures fall below10°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,000 - 1,500mm, with a dry season of 5 - 6 months[].
Young plants prefer some shade, but become increasingly intolerant of shade as they grow older[]. Thrives on well-drained flats or on slopes with a deep, loamy soil, or sand on clayey or laterite soils with a neutral pH[].
The tree has good coppice potential[].
Seedpods remain on the tree for a long time before opening[].
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

The fatty cotyledons of young seeds are eaten[, , ].

An oil is obtained from the seeds[].

Medicinal

The plant is used medicinally for relieving toothaches and eye diseases[].

The bark is astringent[]. It is used in local medicine[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is grown in agroforestry systems, where they improve soil conditions through their nitrogen-fixing ability and leaf fall[].

Other Uses

The seeds are used for carving[].

An adhesive is made from the seed pulp[].

The bark contains tannins[, ].

The heartwood is reddish-yellow, red to dirty red-brown, often with some streaks, and clearly demarcated from the grey-white sapwood[]. The texture is moderately fine to moderately coarse[]. The wood is heavy, hard, very durable (tests have shown a durability under exposure of about 10 years in tropical conditions)[]. It is moderately difficult to work, but easy in comparison with other high-density woods; planed surfaces are often glossy; it takes a high finish[]. The attractive wood is highly valued for carpentry[, ].

The hard, dense, fine-grained and durable wood is highly valued, especially in Thailand. The wood is used in various ways, for round wood, building poles, sawn or hewn building timbers, for heavy and light construction, beams, flooring, wall panelling, shingles, engineering structures, bridges, railway sleepers, woodware, industrial and domestic woodware, tool handles, musical instruments, wood carvings, furniture, veneers, boats, vehicle bodies, wood based materials, plywood, fuel wood and charcoal. The wood burls are specially valued because they form beautiful figures when the wood is being cut. The wood is so valuable that it is sold by kilograms[].

Propagation

Seed - the seedcoat is so hard that pre-treatment with boiling water may not be sufficient to break the dormancy. Furthermore, the large aril around the seed delays germination and must be removed. By using a sharp knife, it is possible to cut off the aril together with a small chip of the seedcoat but care must be taken not to damage the radicle. If the seed coat is not scarified while removing the aril, the seed should be nicked at the opposite end. After cutting, the seeds are soaked in water for 12 hours before sowing[].
Generally germination ability lasts 1 - 2 years when seeds are stored in low temperatures[].

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