Homalium africanum
(Hook.f.) Benth.
Salicaceae
Blackwellia africana Hook.f.
Homalium buchholzii Warb.
Homalium crassipetalum Exell
Homalium ealensis De Wild.
Homalium gentilii De Wild.
Homalium gilletii De Wild.
Homalium lundense Cavaco
Homalium molle Stapf
Homalium platypleurum Mildbr.
Homalium riparium Gilg
Homalium sarcopetalum Pierre
Homalium tibiatense Gilg
Common Name:
General Information
Homalium africanum is usually a tree growing up to 25 metres tall, occasionally to 33 metres, though sometimes it is only a shrub 2 - 5 metres tall. The short, straight bole is up to 40cm in diameter; it is slightly fluted, with branches from quite low down[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
,
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
515- Title
- Flora of Tropical Africa Vol 1 - 8
- Publication
-
- Author
- Var
- Website
- http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
- Publisher
- L.Reeve & Co.; Ashford, Kent.
- Year
- 1868 - 1917
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Very little information on habitat, range and uses, but gives good descriptions of the plants. It can be downloaded from the internet.
Range
Tropical Africa - Guinea to Cameroon and DR Congo, south to Angola.
Habitat
Rain-forest, also swampy or periodically flooded forest; gallery forest; creeks; secondary forest; rare in dry or transitional forest; at elevations from 600 - 1,360 metres, sometimes descending to sea level[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Tree |
| Height | 0.00 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
A trace of alkaloid has been detected in the bark and roots of material from Congo[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
Other Uses
The wood varies from brown to dull white, and is hard. It is used for yam stakes and is suitable for carpentry[
332- Title
- The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Burkil. H. M.
- Publisher
- Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew.
- Year
- 1985 - 2004
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/
].
We do not have any more information on the wood of this species. However, we have a general description of the wood for the tropical West African members of this genus, which is as follows:-
The heartwood is yellowish-white, sometimes with darker stripes; it is not differentiated from the sapwood. The texture is fine; the grain straight or interlocked; lustre is dull. The wood is moderately durable, being fairly resistant to marine borer attack. It has good weathering properties. It is reported to require very careful seasoning. The wood is easy to saw, plane, and finish, but hardened cutters are required. Rapid blunting may occur due to the presence of silica; it has good steambending characteristics. The wood is used for purposes such as heavy construction, flooring, boatbuilding, railroad crossties, poles and piles[
316- Title
- Tropical Timbers of the World. Ag. Handbook No. 607.
- Publication
-
- Author
- Chudnoff. Martin.
- Publisher
- USDA Forest Service. Wisconsin.
- Year
- 1984
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Terse details on the properties of the wood of almost 400 species of trees from the Tropics.
].
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
