Common Name:

General Information

Entandrophragma excelsum is a briefly deciduous tree with a wide-spreading and roundish crown and massive branches; it can grow up to 45 metres tall, exceptionally to 60 metres. The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branches for up to 27 metres; it is up to 250cm in diameter and can be buttressed to a height of 5 metres[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of timber. It is grown to provide shade in agroforestry systems, and is also used as a shade tree along the sides of roads[].
Unlike most other members of the genus, which are commercial sources of African mahogany, this species is too rare to be exploited as a major commercial source of timber. Habitat loss is a more serious threat. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - eastern DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi.

Habitat

Rain-forests; sometimes riverine forest; rarely occurs in almost pure stands; at elevations from 925 - 2,220 metres[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	45.00 m
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Ash made from the root bark is rubbed into scarifications to treat blood cough[].

The roots are used to treat gonorrhoea and hernia[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is used to provide shade in coffee plantations[].
In tests in Rwanda, Entandrophragma excelsum was shown to be useful as a shade tree in agroforestry systems; in particular, soya bean grew prolifically under the trees[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is pinkish brown when freshly cut, darkening to reddish brown upon exposure with golden shades; it is usually distinctly demarcated from 6 - 10cm wide band of pinkish white to pale brown sapwood. The grain is interlocked, sometimes straight; texture medium; quarter-sawn surfaces show a stripe figure, which is often irregular. The wood is hard; moderately lightweight to heavy; not durable, being liable to powder-post beetle, pinhole borer, termite and marine borer attacks. Logs are generally straight and cylindrical, but susceptible to severe star shakes and heavy checking on the end surfaces after felling because tension wood is often present. The wood air dries rather slowly, with 2.5 cm thick boards taking 2 months to dry from green to 15% moisture content. Careful stacking and weighting down is needed because the wood is liable to severe warping, cupping and distortion. Quarter-sawing before drying is recommended. Great care is needed to obtain satisfactory results in kiln drying. Once dry, the wood is moderately stable in service. The wood saws and works fairly easily with both hand and machine tools; it has only slight blunting effects on cutting edges; in planing and moulding operations a 15 - 25° cutting angle is recommended to avoid picking up of grain; the use of a filler is needed to obtain a good finish. The wood is difficult to drill cleanly and only the smaller sizes of square chisels can be used; nailing, screwing and gluing properties are satisfactory, but nail-holding power is poor; staining may give poor results on quarter-sawn surfaces, which can be overcome by the use of a filler. The wood is suitable for the production of sliced and rotary veneer, and can be made into plywood of satisfactory quality. The wood is suitable for construction, flooring, joinery, interior trim, furniture, cabinet work, musical instruments, vehicle bodies, toys, novelties, boxes, crates, carvings, turnery, veneer and plywood[, , ].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[, ].

Propagation

Seed - pre-soaking for 12 hours in warm water speeds up germination times[]. Sow the seed in a lightly shaded position[].
The seeds can be stored for some time in sealed containers in a cool place, but insect damage, to which they are very susceptible, should be avoided, e.g. by adding ash[].

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