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Useful Tropical Plants

Kirkia acuminata

Oliv.

Kirkiaceae

+ Synonyms

Kirkia pubescens Burtt Davy

Common Name:

Kirkia acuminata
Cultivated plant in Florida
Photograph by: Barry Stock
Creative Commons License
Kirkia acuminata Kirkia acuminata Kirkia acuminata

General Information

Kirkia acuminata is a semideciduous tree with a large, spreading, rounded crown; it can grown 6 - 20 metres tall, occasionally to 23 metres. The clean bole can be up to 100cm in diameter[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
].
The tree is often harvested from the wild for local use of its wood, it also supplies a fibre, has a range of medicinal uses and is an emergency source of water in dry areas. It is often grown as a hedge.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.

Range

Tropical Africa - Angola, southern DR Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, northern S. Africa.

Habitat

Found in a range of habitats including bushland, woodland, savannah and rocky hillslopes, at elevations to 1,600 metres[
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

Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitDeciduous Tree
Height13.00 m
Growth RateFast
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of mainly hot and dry areas in the tropics, where it can be found at elevations up to 1,600 metres. The plant is susceptible to frost[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
It prefers well-drained, basic soils, but may be found on various soil types, from alluvial flats and sandy or loamy soils near rivers to sandy and dry soils and rocky slopes[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. Often found wild on the poorer soils[
466
Title
Useful Plants of Nyasaland
Publication
 
Author
Williamson J.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland.
Year
1955
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of the uses of almost 500 species of plants.
]. Established plants are drought tolerant[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
A fast-growing tree[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Edible Uses

The swollen roots are used as a source of water in times of drought[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Medicinal

An infusion of the bark is taken as a remedy against vomiting and abdominal pain[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

An infusion of the root is taken to treat coughs[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The pulverized roots are a remedy for toothache[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

The fruit sap is applied on wounds and is used as an antidote on snake bites[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is often planted to form a live fence[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
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.
,
466
Title
Useful Plants of Nyasaland
Publication
 
Author
Williamson J.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland.
Year
1955
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of the uses of almost 500 species of plants.
].

Other Uses

A fibre obtained from the bark is made into cloth[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
,
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
308
Title
Flora Zambesiaca
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
].

The heartwood is pale brown or green-brown, with an attractive dark brown veining; the up to 75mm wide band of sapwood is yellow-white or pale grey. The grain is usually straight, locally interlocked, the texture is fine.
The wood is fairly light in weight, soft to moderately hard, moderately durable but the sapwood is susceptible to Lyctus borers. Thin boards dry easily, but thick boards are difficult to season; splitting and surface checking may occur. The wood saws easily, but rapidly blunts tools, due to the presence of silica crystals; frequent sharpening of cutting edges is necessary. It planes easily and turns fairly well; polishes readily; glues satisfactorily and slices and peels well. The wood is used for poles and planks, household utensils (bowls, spoons), carts, musical instruments, tourist items, veneer and plywood. In South Africa the wood is made into furniture and floor blocks. It is also considered suitable for light construction, flooring, vehicle bodies, cabinet work, interior trim, agricultural implements, boxes and crates, core stock, matches, toys and novelties, turnery, hardboard and particle board, and as pulpwood[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
466
Title
Useful Plants of Nyasaland
Publication
 
Author
Williamson J.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland.
Year
1955
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details of the uses of almost 500 species of plants.
].
The wood is made into charcoal[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Propagation

Seed - easy[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Cuttings root easily[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-13. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Kirkia+acuminata>

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