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: Tachi Branco

General Information

Tachigali vulgaris is a tree with a spreading crown; it can grow to about 14 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branched for up to 5 metres, up to 18cm in diameter[].
The tree is harvested from the wild for local use of its wood. The tree is also used in soil restoration and reforestation projects.
The main threat to Tachigali vulgaris is habitat loss as a consequence of deforestation by large-scale agro-industry and livestock farming. Both the Brazilian Amazon and the Cerrado have suffered an increase in deforestation rates mainly due to expansion of cattle and soy industries. In the Cerrado, hydroelectric reservoirs and expansion of urban areas are other major causes of deforestation. However, this species' habitat pressure is concentrated in southern and eastern Brazil and it is projected that large areas of the Amazon forest outside Brazil and most of the northwest quadrant of the Brazilian Amazon may not suffer major changes until the mid-century as long as they remain remote and with difficult access. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Brazil, Bolivia

Habitat

Rainforest, gallery forest, seasonally deciduous and semideciduous forest and amazonian savannah; at elevations up to 1, 000 metres[]. Fairly dense forests at elevations around 450 metres in northern Peru[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	12.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Tolerant of poor soils[].
A fast-growing species[].
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

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is fast-growing and produces a lot of leaf litter[]. It helps to build soil structure and is used in soil restoration projects and also as a pioneer in restoring native woodland[, ].
It is grown in plantations in areas of bauxite extraction in Pará, where its rapid growth, tolerance of degraded soils and high production of leaf litter can quickly provide favourable conditions for the establishment of other important pioneer species, and thus promote greater biodiversity in the plantation[].
The flowers are a good source of food for bees[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is pinkish brown with a grayish tinge; it is not sharply defined from the pale pinkish sapwood with its darker brown veining of vessel lines. The texture is rather coarse; the grain straight; there is no distinctive odour or taste. The wood is moderately heavy; rather tough; strong; probably durable[]. The wood is very resistant and durable[]. Although slightly fibrous, it is not difficult to work, and holds its place fairly well[]. It can be used in carpentry and for railway ties, and is used locally for house posts and in the construction of huts[, ]. It has a high lignin content and so is not very suitable for pulp or paper production[].
The wood has a high calorific value and is an excellent fuel, it also makes a good 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 -

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