Common Name:

General Information

Testulea gabonensis is a tree that can grow 15 - 36 metres tall. The straight bole can be unbranched for 9 - 18 metres, 70 - 90cm in diameter with buttresses at the base[, ].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood, which is used locally and also traded internationally.
Levels of exploitation of this species for timber are high, and have caused population declines. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

West tropical Africa - Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo.

Habitat

Rain forest[]. Dense primary forest and transitional formations[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Endangered
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Tree
Height	28.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The heartwood is a yellow-brown to orangey-yellow; it is not clearly demarcated from the 3 - 5cm wide band of sapwood. The texture is fine; the grain straight or slightly interlocked. The wood is moderately heavy; moderately hard; durable, being resistant to fungi, dry wood borers and termites. It seasons somewhat slowly, with a slight risk of distortion but a high risk of checking; once dry it is stable in service. It can be worked with ordinary tools, though there are possible difficulties in planing due to the interlocked grain; nailing and screwing are good, but pre-boring, especially on smaller pieces of wood, is advisable; gluing is correct. The wood is used for high class furniture, cabinet work, turnery, furniture components, flooring, stairs, panelling, joinery etc[].

Propagation

Seed -

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