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Useful Tropical Plants

Petersianthus macrocarpus

(P.Beauv.) Liben

Lecythidaceae

+ Synonyms

Combretodendron africanum (Welw. ex Benth. & Hook.f.) Exell

Combretodendron macrocarpum (P.Beauv.) Keay

Combretodendron viridiflorum A.Chev.

Petersia africana Welw. ex Benth. & Hook.f.

Petersia klainei Pierre ex A.Chev.

Petersia minor Nied.

Petersia viridiflora A.Chev.

Petersianthus africanus (Welw. ex Benth. & Hook.f.) Merr.

Petersianthus minor (Nied.) Merr.

Common Name:

Petersianthus macrocarpus
Fruiting tree
Photograph by: Scamperdale
Creative Commons License
Petersianthus macrocarpus Petersianthus macrocarpus Petersianthus macrocarpus

General Information

Petersianthus macrocarpus is an evergreen tree with a well-developed crown; it can grow up to 50 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be more than 100cm in diameter[
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 as a medicine and source of wood - the wood is also traded. The tree has potential for use as a pioneer species for restoring native woodland.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Tropical Africa - Guinea to Cameroon and southern Central African Republic, south to northern Angola and DR Congo.

Habitat

Rain-forest; in some places the dominating species; invasive in secondary forests; at elevations up to 200 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

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Tree
Height45.00 m
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details



The tree smells strongly of rotten cabbage[
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.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is abortifacient, anodyne, ecbolic, emetic, laxative. It is used in the treatment of arthritis, rheumatism, heart conditions etc[
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 stems are used to help prevent the loss of a foetus[
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 stem bark is used in the treatment of pulmonary troubles[
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/
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is said to be invasive in secondary forests. This suggests that it has the potential to be used as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland - information on growth rates is required[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Other Uses

The heartwood is a yellowish-pink to red-brown with a variable aspect; it is clearly demarcated from the 8 - 10cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain interlocked, sometimes straight or wavy; the green wood has an unpleasant odour like rotten cabbage. The wood is moderately heavy to heavy; moderately hard; moderately durable, being resistant to dry wood borers but only moderately resistant to fungi and termites. It seasons slowly, with a high risk of checking and distortion; once dry it is moderately to poorly stable in service. Stellite tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended because of the interlocked grain; care needs to be taken when planing to avoid tearing; nailing and screwing are good, but require pre-boring; gluing is poor. The wood is used for heavy carpentry and vehicle or container flooring. Mottled, striated, veined or moiré wood are in great demand for decorative sliced veneer[
848
Title
Tropix 7
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://tropix.cirad.fr/en
Publisher
CIRAD
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line guide to the timbers of 245 species of trees.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Petersianthus+macrocarpus>

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