Common Name:

General Information

Calpocalyx brevibracteatus is an evergreen tree with a dense, round crown; usually growing 20 - 30 metres tall though specimens up to 40 metres have been recorded. The straight, cylindrical bole can be unbranched for up to 10 metres, it can be 40 - 80cm in diameter and is usually unbuttressed[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use, mainly s a source of wood but also as a food, medicine and source of potash.

Known Hazards

The branches are hollow and may be inhabited by ants[].

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Sierra Leone to Nigeria.

Habitat

Old secondary forest or an understorey tree of primary forests[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	25.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist tropics, it is most common in areas with a mean annual rainfall of around 2,500mm[].
Young plants prefer some shade[]. Plants are found in the wild on sandy-loamy, sandy-clayey and lateritic soils[].
The freshly cut wood is heavy and does not float in water[].

Edible Uses

The seeds are edible after cooking[].

The ash of burnt seedpods is rich in potash. It is used as a salt[].

Medicinal

The bark is used in traditional medicine; a maceration is applied as a mouthwash to treat sores, and the inner bark is used against stomach-ache[].

Other Uses

The leaves and bark contain tannins[].

The ash of burnt seedpods is rich in potash. It is used in making soap[].

The heartwood is dark brown, often variegated with red and black; it is distinctly demarcated from the greyish sapwood. The grain is irregular, texture moderately coarse. The wood is heavy and durable. It is difficult to work, but attractive when properly finished. The wood is used as posts, planks etc in house building, for tool handles and canoes[].
The wood is used for fuel, but it crackles as it burns and is of inferior quality[].

Propagation

Seed - a high germination rate can be expected within 6 - 15 days[]. (This probably refers to the fresh seed[].)

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