Common Name:

General Information

Terminalia brownii is a leafy deciduous tree with an attractive somewhat layered appearance and a rounded, flat topped, spreading crown; usually growing 4 - 15 metres tall with some specimens to 25 metres[]. It has a straight bole[].
The tree is mainly used locally as a source of medicines, timber and tannins.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, northern DR Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, north to Eritrea, Ethiopia Somalia, Yemen.

Habitat

High rainfall woodlands, bushlands, and wooded savannah of the arid and semi-arid regions but can also be found in the sub-humid areas. It is often found near rivers in very dry areas[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	15.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

A plant of dry to moist tropical areas, where it is usually found at elevations up to 600 metres but sometimes to 2,000 metres[]. It grows best in areas where annual daytime annual temperatures are within the range 14 - 24°c, though it can tolerate 7 - 32°c[]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall of 500 - 1,300mm, but tolerates 400 - 1,500mm[].
Requires a sunny position[]. Prefers deep, sandy soils in the wild, where it is also widespread on loamy soils[]. Established plants are drought resistant[]. Prefers a pH in the range 5.5 - 7, but tolerates 4 - 7.5[].
The tree is slow-growing, though this can be improved with irrigation[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The phloem fibres are chewed, and the solution swallowed, in the treatment of yellow fever, particularly in children[, ].

The bark is astringent[]. An infusion is taken in the treatment of fevers, colds and chest complaints, including tuberculosis and possibly pneumonia[]. A medicine made from the bark is used in the local treatment of hepatitis[, ].

An extract from the leaves is used to treat pink-eye in livestock[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is widely recommended for use in agroforestry; despite its rather dense shade, crops grow well under its canopy[, ].
It is also grown as a windbreak and to provide shade and shelter[].
The leaf fall is heavy, making an excellent mulch[, ].

Other Uses

The bark, fruits and roots contain 19% tannins and can be used as dyes[, ].
A yellow dye is obtained from the roots[].

The inner bark contains a small amount of a sticky exudate, and the wood burns with a scented smoke with which women sometimes perfume their hair[].

The yellow-brown wood is fairly hard, strong and durable. It is said to be resistant to boring insects and termites[, ]. It is used to make canoes, for house-building, piles for grain-stores, beds, tool-handles etc[].
The wood is used for fuel[], and to make a charcoal used in iron-smelting[].

Propagation

Seed - viability can be maintained for at least 1 year in hermetic storage at 3°c[].

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: a square has how many sides?