Common Name:

General Information

Cephalosphaera usambarensis is a tree with a small, lightly branched crown; it can grow from 12 - 50 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branches for around 80% of its height, up to 150cm in diameter and sometimes slightly buttressed at the base[,
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is often traded. It has sometimes been cultivated as a timber crop[].
A monotypic genus restricted to a few small areas in Tanzania and Kenya. The timber has been overexploited in the recent past and habitat degradation has also caused population declines. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

East tropical Africa - Kenya, Tanzania.

Habitat

Occurs in isolated patches in evergreen rain forests of Tanzania, on steep mountain slopes at altitudes of 900 - 1,200 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	30.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is a light reddish brown; it is not differentiated from the sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain usually straight; without figure. The wood is vulnerable to attack by stain and decay fungi; it is liable to ambrosia beetle attack if extraction after felling is delayed. It air-dries slowly with little degrade, but can be kiln dried rapidly with only moderate cup developing. It is exceptionally easy to work with hand and machine tools and dresses to a good finish; nails easily and glues well; easy to peel into veneers. A general all-purpose utility wood, it is used for purposs such as construction, joinery, furniture, boxes and crates, plywood[].

Propagation

Seed -

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