All species formerly considered to belong to the genus Sclerolobium have been moved to Tachigali in line with the treatment by Henk van der Werff in 'A Synopsis of the Genus Tachigali (Leguminosae; Caesalpinioideae) in Northern South America', Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 95, pp 618 - 660, 2008.

Common Name:

General Information

Tachigali rubiginosa is a semideciduous tree with a roundish and more or less dense crown; it can grow 5 - 10 metres tall. The usually crooked bole is more or less cylindrical, around 30 - 50cm in diameter[].
The tree produces a very good timber that makes an excellent fuel and charcoal. It is commonly harvested from the wild for local use. The tree can also be used as a pioneer when restoring native woodland.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - central and eastern Brazil.

Habitat

Savannah, wooded savannah and semideciduous forests, favouring well-drained terrains at elevations above 800 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	7.50 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position[]. Requires a well-drained soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
A fast-growing tree, especially when young[].
There are conflicting reports on whether or not this tree has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, so it is unclear as to whether this tree fixes atmospheric nitrogen.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

A fast-growing natural pioneer plant, succeeding in full sun, it can be used in reforestation projects for restoring native woodland[].

Other Uses

The wood is thick-textured, very heavy, hard, with high mechanical resistance and very durable. It is used locally for carpentry, but mainly for external purposes such as railway sleepers, fence posts and stakes[].
The wood is an excellent fuel with a high calorific value, it is also used to make a very high quality charcoal[].

The trees of many members of this genus yield a wood suitable for light construction, known in the trade as 'tachi'[]. We do not have any more specific information for the wood of this species, but a general description of tachi wood is as follows:-
The wood is light brown; it is clearly demarcated from the 3 - 6cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is medium; the grain straight or slightly interlocked. The wood is light to moderately heavy; soft to moderately hard; not very durable in one report[], durable in another[]. It seasons at a nornal rate with only a slight risk of distortion, but a high risk of checking; once dry it is poorly stable in service. It is fairly easy to work, but sawn surfaces can be somewhat fuzzy - stellite-tipped and tungsten carbide tools are recommended; nailing and screwing are good, but require pre-boring. The wood is used for purposes such as interior panelling and joinery, furniture components, light carpentry, crates and boxes[, , ].

Propagation

Seed - it has a hard seedcoat and may benefit from scarification before sowing to speed up germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. Sow the treated seed in a sunny position in a nursery seedbed. A low germination rate can be expected even if the seed is treated, with the seed sprouting within 28 - 35 days[].

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