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 subvelutina is a semideciduous tree with a dense, low, wide, globose crown; it can grow 4 - 6 metres tall. The short, more or less crooked bole can be 20 - 30cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. It can also be used as a pioneer species when restoring native woodland. Very ornamental when in bloom, the tree's small size makes it very useful for planting in narrow streets and under power lines[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - central Brazil.

Habitat

Savannah and woodland savannah, favouring well-drained clayey soils at elevations above 700 metres[].

Properties

Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	5.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Grows best in a sunny position[]. Prefers a well-drained, clayey soil[]. Established plants are drought tolerant[].
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:

The tree is a natural pioneer and so can be used when restoring native woodland[].

Other Uses

The wood is of medium-texture, straight-grained, heavy, hard, with moderate mechanical properties and durable. It is generally too small to be used for many purposes, though it is used locally to make tool handles and for applications in construction[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make 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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