Common Name:

General Information

Calpocalyx heitzii is an evergreen tree growing up to 35 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole is up to 90cm in diameter with steep buttresses[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is mainly used locally but is also exported in small quantities. It is sometimes traded as a substitute for African mahogany (Khaya spp.), with which it has a similar figure[].
This species has a relatively restricted range and is threatened by logging and habitat degradation. It is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Cameroon, Gabon.

Habitat

Primary and old secondary rainforest, most abundantly near the coast where it is often gregarious; at elevations up to 200 metres[, ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	28.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist lowland tropics, it grows most abundantly in areas where the mean annual rainfall is in the range 2,200 - 2,800mm[].
Grows best in a sunny position[].
A quite fast growing tree[].
The fruits dehisce explosively during the dry season, scattering the seeds[].
Freshly felled logs sink in water and cannot be transported by floating down a river[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is reddish brown, often with irregular brown streaks; it is usually distinctly demarcated from the wide band of pale pinkish grey sapwood. The grain is often wavy and irregular, texture moderately coarse to fine. The wood is heavy; hard; moderately durable but liable to termite and Lyctus attacks. The working properties are variable, depending on the amount of irregular grain in the material. The wood saws moderately well, and planing may result in woolly surfaces due to tension wood. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing and screwing. The wood is used for indoor as well as outdoor construction. It is also suitable for flooring, mine props, shipbuilding, vehicle bodies, furniture, agricultural implements, interior trim, joinery, railway sleepers, poles and piles, carving, toys and novelties, turnery and pattern making[].

Propagation

Seed -

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