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Useful Tropical Plants

Zanthoxylum heitzii

(Aubrév. & Pellegr.) P.G.Waterman

Rutaceae

+ Synonyms

Fagara brieyi Vermoesen ex G.C.C.Gilbert

Fagara heitzii Aubrév. & Pellegr.

Common Name:

Zanthoxylum heitzii
Flowering stem
Photograph by: Ehoarn Bidault
Creative Commons License
Zanthoxylum heitzii Zanthoxylum heitzii Zanthoxylum heitzii

General Information

Zanthoxylum heitzii is a spiny tree with a large crown of ascending branches, growing up to 35 metres tall. The straight, cylindrical bole can be free of branches for up to 20 metres and up to 150cm in diameter. The bole is usually free of buttresses, though it is often slightly thickened at the base, and it is armed with spiny bosses 8 - 10cm long, though these usually disappear in old trees[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. Young trees are especially prickly[
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
The tree is harvested from the wild for its timber, which is mainly traded locally but also internationally[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. The bark is often used in traditional medicine and is sold on local markets for medicinal purposes[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Known Hazards

The bark is sometimes used as a fish poison[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The sawdust may be irritant; cases of allergic contact dermatitis have been recorded in saw mill workers[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Botanical References


Range

West tropical Africa - Cameroon to the Central African Republic, south to Gabon and western DR Congo.

Habitat

Evergreen and semi-deciduous forests at elevations up to 1,200 metres, occurring most commonly in secondary forest[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitTree
Height25.00 m
Growth RateFast
PollinatorsInsects
Self-fertileNo
Cultivation StatusSemi-cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details


Requires a sunny position, even when small[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. Prefers well-drained soils.
A fast-growing species[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
This species is often difficult to distinguish from Z. Gilletii[
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
]. It also resembles Z. Lemairei[
328
Title
African Flowering Plants Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
Publisher
Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if seed is required.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The bark is analgesic[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
]. It is used to treat gonorrhoea, abscesses, painful joints and male sexual impotence[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Scrapings from the stem bark are applied externally to treat malaria, rheumatism and stiffness, and to soothe toothache[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

A maceration of young twigs in lemon juice is used to treat heart complaints[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The tree is sometimes retained by farmers after clearing the forest for agricultural land, to serve as a shade tree for cultivation of crops such as coffee and cocoa[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
A natural pioneer in its native range, it often regenerates abundantly in larger gaps in the forest and is commonly found in secondary forest[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Other Uses

The heartwood is pale yellow to greenish yellow; it is not clearly demarcated from the pale yellow, 1 - 2cm wide band of sapwood. The wood is lustrous; the grain usually interlocked, sometimes straight; the texture fine to moderately coarse; quartercut surfaces show a slight ribbon-like figure; freshly cut wood has a slight, pleasant scent. The wood is light in weight; soft; not very durable, being moderately resistant to fungal and termite attack but susceptible to Lyctus and marine borer attacks. It seasons normally, with only a slight risk of checking or distortion; once dry it is moderately stable in service. The wood saws and works well with ordinary machine and hand tools; planing may cause some difficulties due to interlocked grain; moulding, polishing, gluing, painting and varnishing properties are all satisfactory; screwing and nailing properties are good, with the wood holding screws well, although nails are easy to draw. It produces good veneer by slicing and rotary cutting. The wood is suitable for light construction, light flooring, joinery, interior trim, moulding, shipbuilding, furniture, cabinet work, toys, novelties, boxes, crates, turnery, veneer, plywood, hardboard and particle board[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
,
848
Title
Tropix 7
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://tropix.cirad.fr/en
Publisher
CIRAD
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An on-line guide to the timbers of 245 species of trees.
]. It is used locally for canoes, drums and beehives[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
The wood is sometimes used for fuel[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].

Propagation

Seed - sow in a nursery seedbed in a sunny or lightly shaded position. Germination usually takes place within 25 - 30 days of sowing the seed[
299
Title
Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa.
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.prota.org
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-10-08. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Zanthoxylum+heitzii>

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