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Useful Tropical Plants

Leplaea cedrata

(A.Chev.) E.J.M.Koenen & J.J.de Wild

Meliaceae

+ Synonyms

Guarea alatipetiolata De Wild.

Guarea cedrata (A.Chev.) Pellegr.

Khaya canaliculata De Wild.

Trichilia cedrata A.Chev.

Common Name: Scented Guarea

Leplaea cedrata
Seed capsule opening to release the seed
Photograph by: Matthew Walters; African plants - A Photo Guide
© Matthew Walters
Leplaea cedrata Leplaea cedrata Leplaea cedrata Leplaea cedrata

General Information

Scented guarea is a large, densely-crowned, evergreen tree growing up to 55 metres tall[
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 bole is branchless for up to 26 metres, it is usually straight and cylindrical, sometimes fluted, up to 150 cm in diameter, sometimes with spreading, blunt buttresses up to 3 metres high[
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.
]. Flushes of new leaves are strikingly pinkish red[
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 tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of timber. The wood is of very good quality and trees are commonly harvested from the wild and the wood traded internationally[
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.
].
Scented guarea is quite a widespread species, but it occurs usually in low densities and is usually restricted to undisturbed forest[
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 is included in the IUCN Red list, where it is classified as 'Vulnerable' because of habitat loss and degradation, and selective felling[
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.
].

Known Hazards

The wood dust may cause irritation to the skin[
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 bark is used locally as a fish poison[
886
Title
A taxonomic revision of the reinstated genus Leplaea and the newly recognized genus Neoguarea
Publication
Plant Ecology and Evolution 145 (2): 209-241, 2012
Author
Koenen E.J.M.; de Wilde J.J.F.E.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2012.656
Publisher
The Royal Botanical Society; Belgium.
Year
2012
ISBN
2032-3913
Description
A review of the genus Guarea in Africa, it excludes all the African species from that genus, placing the majority of them in Leplaea and one in Neoguarea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Botanical References

886
Title
A taxonomic revision of the reinstated genus Leplaea and the newly recognized genus Neoguarea
Publication
Plant Ecology and Evolution 145 (2): 209-241, 2012
Author
Koenen E.J.M.; de Wilde J.J.F.E.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2012.656
Publisher
The Royal Botanical Society; Belgium.
Year
2012
ISBN
2032-3913
Description
A review of the genus Guarea in Africa, it excludes all the African species from that genus, placing the majority of them in Leplaea and one in Neoguarea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.

Range

Tropical Africa - Guinea Bissau to Uganda, south to Angola and DR Congo.

Habitat

Lowland rain-forest to semi-deciduous forest[
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/
]. A canopy and sub-canopy tree of evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, occurring at elevations ranging from sea-level to 1,300 metres[
886
Title
A taxonomic revision of the reinstated genus Leplaea and the newly recognized genus Neoguarea
Publication
Plant Ecology and Evolution 145 (2): 209-241, 2012
Author
Koenen E.J.M.; de Wilde J.J.F.E.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2012.656
Publisher
The Royal Botanical Society; Belgium.
Year
2012
ISBN
2032-3913
Description
A review of the genus Guarea in Africa, it excludes all the African species from that genus, placing the majority of them in Leplaea and one in Neoguarea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Properties

Conservation StatusVulnerable
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height45.00 m
Growth RateSlow
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moister, lowland tropics up to elevations of 1,100 metres. It is found in regions with more than 1,600 mm annual rainfall and attains its highest density in regions with 2,000 mm annual rainfall[
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.
].
Prefers a well-drained soil, tolerating infertile soils[
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 tree is classified as a shade-bearer[
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.
].
Seedlings are most common in the shade, although they are occasionally found in full sunlight. They are often even common in deep shade, where they can survive for a long time[
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.
]. All sizes of seedlings and saplings are less abundant in forest affected by recent logging, in comparison with undisturbed, not too dense forest[
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.
]. However, for further development, some opening of the forest canopy seems essential[
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.
].
Initial growth of seedlings is slow, less than 30 cm after 1 year[
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.
]. They show their best growth at 10% of full sunlight. If they are exposed to more sunlight after 1 year, growth may speed up, reaching annual growth rates of up to 1 metre in height in plots managed by the tropical shelterwood system[
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.
].
In Guinea trees planted in the understorey showed a mortality of about 50% and reached a mean height of 2.5 - 3 metres at 6 years of age, for those planted in forest paths the mortality was 25 - 30% but the height only 1.2 metres, and all seedlings planted in full sun died within 2 years[
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 is recommended to start thinning the upper storey of the forest 4 years after planting so that the saplings receive progressively more light[
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.
].
Planted trees in Ghana reached a height of up to 15 metres and 19 cm in bole diameter in 14 years. Under natural conditions in Cote d'Ivoire an average annual diameter increment of 2.9 mm was recorded, and in Ghana it was 3.2 - 5.5 mm. In Nigeria it has been estimated that it takes more than 170 years for the trees to reach 100 cm in bole 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.
].
Trees can flower and produce fruit twice a year, or even all year round in some areas. The ripe fruits often develop at the beginning of the dry season[
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.
,
886
Title
A taxonomic revision of the reinstated genus Leplaea and the newly recognized genus Neoguarea
Publication
Plant Ecology and Evolution 145 (2): 209-241, 2012
Author
Koenen E.J.M.; de Wilde J.J.F.E.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2012.656
Publisher
The Royal Botanical Society; Belgium.
Year
2012
ISBN
2032-3913
Description
A review of the genus Guarea in Africa, it excludes all the African species from that genus, placing the majority of them in Leplaea and one in Neoguarea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required[
886
Title
A taxonomic revision of the reinstated genus Leplaea and the newly recognized genus Neoguarea
Publication
Plant Ecology and Evolution 145 (2): 209-241, 2012
Author
Koenen E.J.M.; de Wilde J.J.F.E.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2012.656
Publisher
The Royal Botanical Society; Belgium.
Year
2012
ISBN
2032-3913
Description
A review of the genus Guarea in Africa, it excludes all the African species from that genus, placing the majority of them in Leplaea and one in Neoguarea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is used in traditional medicine. Bark decoctions or macerations are taken to treat stomach-ache, food poisoning and gonorrhoea, and used as a wash against kidney pain, bleeding after childbirth, rheumatism and leprosy[
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 essential oil and limonoids, including dregeanin, have been isolated from the bark[
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 trees are sometimes left after forest clearing to serve as shade trees for coffee and cocoa plantations[
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.
].

Other Uses

The bark contains an essential oil, which consists exclusively of sesquiterpenes, with as major constituents β -caryophyllene (45%) and globulol (11%)[
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 heartwood is pale pinkish brown when freshly cut, darkening to reddish brown upon exposure. It is usually distinctly demarcated from the yellowish white, 5 - 10 cm wide sapwood[
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 grain is straight or interlocked, texture fine to moderately coarse. The wood sometimes shows a mottled or curly figure, and has a cedar-like smell when fresh. It may have a gummy exudate[
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 wood is medium-weight, moderately durable and only occasionally attacked by termites and pinhole borers[
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 is usually fairly easy to saw and work, with moderate blunting effects on cutting edges because the wood contains some silica (up to 1.0%). It can be finished to a smooth surface, but there may be a slight tendency to pick up in planing quarter-sawn material and gum may appear at the surfaces. The wood holds nails and screws well, but may split upon nailing. It glues satisfactorily except when gum is present; the use of a filler is recommended for staining and polishing. The bending properties are usually satisfactory. The heartwood is strongly resistant to impregnation, the sapwood permeable to moderately resistant. The wood is valued for house building, flooring, joinery, interior trim, panelling, window frames, doors, ship building, vehicle bodies, furniture, cabinet work, decorative boxes, crates, veneer and plywood. It is suitable for musical instruments, toys, novelties, carving and turnery, but gum exudation may have adverse effects on the products[
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.
,
886
Title
A taxonomic revision of the reinstated genus Leplaea and the newly recognized genus Neoguarea
Publication
Plant Ecology and Evolution 145 (2): 209-241, 2012
Author
Koenen E.J.M.; de Wilde J.J.F.E.
Website
http://dx.doi.org/10.5091/plecevo.2012.656
Publisher
The Royal Botanical Society; Belgium.
Year
2012
ISBN
2032-3913
Description
A review of the genus Guarea in Africa, it excludes all the African species from that genus, placing the majority of them in Leplaea and one in Neoguarea. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
]. Good-quality veneer can be produced by both rotary cutting and slicing, the wood is also suitable for pulping to make paper[
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.
]. Traditionally, the wood is used for dug-out canoes[
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 wood is also used as fuel wood and for charcoal production[
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 - pre-soaking in cold water for 12 hours prior to sowing has been recommended to speed up germination[
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.
]. Fresh seeds have a fairly high water content, about 27%. They have a short viability, but can be stored in sealed containers for at least 2 weeks[
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 is recommended to add ash to reduce damage by insects[
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.
]. Germination is irregular and often rather slow, usually taking 20 - 45 days, but sometimes as much as 65 days[
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.
]. Seed beds in the nursery should be shaded[
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.
]. Seedlings are drought sensitive[
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 tree has comparatively large seeds, with a 1000-seed weight of 1 - 3.5 kg[
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. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Leplaea+cedrata>

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