Baikiaea plurijuga
Harms
Fabaceae
Common Name: Rhodesian Teak
Tree growing in the open with a large, dense crown
Photograph by: Roger Culos
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Tree growing in the open with a large, dense crown
Photograph by: Roger Culos
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
Leaves (and the occasional fruit if you look carefully)
Photograph by: Roger Culos
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
General Information
Rhodesian teak is a slow-growing, much-branched, semi-deciduous tree with a large, dense, spreading crown[
,
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. It grows from 6 - 20 metres tall with occasional specimens to 25 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. The straight, cylindrical bole can be up to 120cm in diameter and is sometimes swollen at the base[
].
One of the most important timbers in its native range, where it is widely exploited for export, though it is little used locally because the wood is too hard to cut[
]. The grey stems, dark green leaves, pinkish flowers and dark brown pods make it a very decorative tree, it is sometimes grown in parks and larger gardens[
].
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
Range
Southern tropical Africa - Angola; Zambia; Zimbabwe; Botswana; Namibia.
Habitat
Confined to Kalahari sands, where it is often abundant and dominant in lowland tropical forests, often associated with Guibourtia coleosperma and Schinziophyton rautanenii, at elevations around 900 - 1,200 metres[
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
].
Properties
Medicinal Rating | |
Other Uses Rating | |
Habit | Semi-deciduous Tree |
Height | 15.00 m |
Growth Rate | Slow |
Pollinators | Insects |
Cultivation Status | Ornamental, Wild |
Cultivation Details
A plant of moderate elevations in the drier regions of the tropics, where it is mainly found at elevations between 900 - 1,200 metres[
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
]. Mature trees can withstand extreme temperatures of over 40°c and have been known to survive severe frost down to -15°c[
]. Plants are frost sensitive[
]. It is found in areas with a mean annual rainfall of 600 - 1,000mm and a dry season of 6 - 8 months[
].
Prefers a sunny position[
]. Grows in the wild in deep, infertile, sandy soils[
]. Grows best in a well-drained, light to medium soil[
]. Established plants have a deep tap root and are very drought resistant[
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 5.5, tolerating 4.5 - 6.5[
].
Coppices well[
].
The plant suffers adversely from fires in the dry season, and cannot afterwards compete with fast-growing, thorny, colonizer bushes[
].
Although many species within the family Fabaceae have a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria, this species is said to be devoid of such a relationship and therefore does not fix atmospheric nitrogen[
755- Title
- Nodulation Plants in GRIN Taxonomy
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ars-grin.gov/~sbmljw/cgi-bin/taxnodul.pl?language=en
- Publisher
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An online database listing plants that have either positive or negative reports on root and stem nodulation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
].
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
Locally, the bark is used in medicine[
].
Decoctions of the bark are used to treat syphilis and to make a fortifying tonic[
].
An infusion of the bark is gargled to relieve toothache[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
].
Other Uses
The bark is a source of tannins[
,
].
The large, shiny, brown seeds are strikingly flat. They are used in various crafts and are often combined with other seeds and beads to make necklaces and other adornments[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
].
The heartwood is an attractive reddish-brown with irregular black lines or flecks; it is sharply demarcated from the pale pinkish-brown sapwood. The texture is fine and even; the grain straight or slightly inter-locked; lustre is low; there is no characteristic odor or taste. Moist wood in contact with iron may stain because of the tannin content. The wood is heavy, fine-grained, strong and very durable, with a moderate resistance to termites. A slow-drying wood with little or no degrade. It is rather difficult to saw and machine, with severe blunting of cutters and a gumming of teeth if sawn green; it is excellent for turnery and has good gluing properties. Rated as one of the worlds finest commercial timbers, it is used as a general timber for bridge construction, flooring, railway sleepers, furniture, and is used in certain areas as fencing posts[
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
,
316- Title
- Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chudnoff. Martin.
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
,
]. The wood is little used locally because it is too hard for native tools to cut[
].
The wood makes a good fuel, producing very hot coals[
]. It is also used to make charcoal[
].
Propagation
Seed - it can be stored for at least 12 months at room temperature[
]. Freshly harvested seeds can germinate without pre-treatment, but after drying it may be necessary to scarify the hard seed coat[
]. The recommended pre-treatment is to soak the seeds in hot water for 2 minutes at 80°c, followed by soaking in cold water for 24 hours[
]. The seeds are sown directly into deep containers at a sowing depth of 4 - 5 cm. Seed viability is high and 80 - 90% of them germinate within 7 - 25 days[
]. However, it is difficult to raise seedlings of this species in the nursery because of the long taproot. Just one or two weeks after germination, the tap root will grow below the base of a normal-sized open container and, after 6 months, the seedlings are still only 6 - 7 cm tall but the taproot will have grown 40cm long[
].
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