Common Name:

General Information

Berlinia confusa is a tree with a hemispherical crown; it usually grows 15 - 30 metres tall, but can be as small as 8 metres or as tall as 40 metres. The usually straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branches for up to 23 metres and 60 - 100cm in diameter, though sometimes it is short and crooked or fluted[, ].
The tree is often harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The wood is also traded internationally. The tree is sometimes used to provide shade in coffee plantations.
Berlinia confusa has a wide range in western Africa and is known to occur within the protected areas network. However, the level of deforestation and natural habitat degradation in some of the areas in which it occurs are high, indicating that botanical surveys and monitoring of the species is required. There are no estimates of population numbers for this species so population decline cannot be assessed with certainty, however population decline is not thought to be over the threshold for a threatened category. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

The seed is said to be toxic and is used as a rodenticide and bird poison[].

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Nigeria and Cameroon, south to Congo.

Habitat

Damp places in high forest; sometimes gregarious; banks of rivers and lagoons; valley bottoms; at elevations up to 400 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	30.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

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[].

Edible Uses

Leaf - cooked[]. The leaves are used as a flavouring in foods[].

Medicinal

The leaves are astringent and possibly abortifacient[].

A gum obtained from the plant is used to treat ear problems[].

The leaves contain a range of medicinally active compounds including alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, steroids and tannins[]. The leaves contain falvones[]. (This is probably a mis-spelling for flavones[])

Agroforestry Uses:

Sometimes grown as a shade tree in coffee plantations[, ].

Other Uses

A gum is obtained from the trunk[].

The heartwood is pinkish-brown with purple or dark brown veins and frequent resin canals; it is clearly demarcated from the 10 - 15cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight or interlocked. The wood is moderately heavy, moderately hard, moderately durable, being moderately resistant to fungi and termites and resistant to dry wood borers. It seasons somewhat slowly with only a slight risk of distortion or checking; once dry it is poorly to moderately stable in service. It works well with normal tools; nailing and screwing are good, but pre-boring is required; gluing is correct. The wood has many applications, including for interior and exterior panelling and joinery, cabinet making, furniture, light carpentry, turnery, flooring and veneer[]. Berlinia wood is, in general, similar to white oak (Quercus alba) in durability, density and usefulness. It is an attractive, decorative hardwood that can be used for fine, interior joinery[].

Propagation

Seed -

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