Common Name: Zingana

General Information

Microberlinia brazzavillensis is a large tree that can grow up to 45 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole is relatively short for a tree of this size, usually only up to 15 metres long and 120 - 150cm in diameter over short buttresses[].
A speciality and very valuable timber tree, harvested from the wild, often for export, although little logging is taking place at present[, ].
Populations in many places are small and scattered, with less than one individual per square kilometre[]. They appear to be stable in areas of Gabon, but overall the tree is seen as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Western tropical Africa - Congo, Gabon.

Habitat

Coastal forest[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Vulnerable
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	35.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is pale yellow brown with narrow darker streaks, the striping pattern varies considerably; it is clearly demarcated from the white sapwood, which is up to 10cm wide[]. The texture is medium to coarse; the grain usually wavy or interlocked; lustrous; an unpleasant odour disappearing upon drying[]. The heartwood is durable and resistant to termite attack. The wood saws fairly well, although a clean smooth finish is sometimes difficult to obtain with machine or hand planing; it has good gluing properties, although veneers need careful handling to avoid cracking[]. A speciality timber, it is used for decorative veneers and turnery; because of its high toughness it is also used in ski manufacture, tool handles etc[, ].

Propagation

Seed -

Add a Comment:

If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.

Name:

Email(Private):

Message:

Captcha: subtract 1 from 12