Pterocarpus soyauxii | |
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Scientific classification
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Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Pterocarpus |
Species: | P. soyauxii
|
Binomial name | |
Pterocarpus soyauxii |
Pterocarpus soyauxii, the African padauk or African coralwood, is a species of Pterocarpus in the family Fabaceae, native to central and tropical west Africa, from Nigeria east to Congo-Kinshasa and south to Angola. [1] [2]
It is a tree growing to 27–34 m tall, with a trunk diameter up to 1 m with flaky reddish-grey bark. The leaves are pinnate, with 11–13 leaflets. The flowers are produced in panicles. The fruit is a thorny pod 6–9 cm long, which does not split open at maturity. [3]
The leaves are edible, and contain large amounts of vitamin C; they are eaten as a leaf vegetable. [3]
Bark extracts are used in herbal medicine to treat skin parasites and fungal infections. [3]
The wood is valuable; it is very durable, red at first, becoming purplish-brown on exposure to light, with a density of 0.79 g/cm3. [4] It is resistant to termites. [3] It is valued for making drums in Africa due to its tonal resonance. [3] The wood is also favored for its use in stringed instruments (namely acoustic and electric guitars) for its tonal attributes and durability. [5]
Dust from the wood produced during wood processing can cause dermatitis in some people. [6]
Native African names include Kisese (Congo), Mbel (Cameroon), Mukula, N'gula (Zaire), and Tacula (Angola). [4]
Pterocarpus soyauxii | |
---|---|
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fabales |
Family: | Fabaceae |
Subfamily: | Faboideae |
Genus: | Pterocarpus |
Species: | P. soyauxii
|
Binomial name | |
Pterocarpus soyauxii |
Pterocarpus soyauxii, the African padauk or African coralwood, is a species of Pterocarpus in the family Fabaceae, native to central and tropical west Africa, from Nigeria east to Congo-Kinshasa and south to Angola. [1] [2]
It is a tree growing to 27–34 m tall, with a trunk diameter up to 1 m with flaky reddish-grey bark. The leaves are pinnate, with 11–13 leaflets. The flowers are produced in panicles. The fruit is a thorny pod 6–9 cm long, which does not split open at maturity. [3]
The leaves are edible, and contain large amounts of vitamin C; they are eaten as a leaf vegetable. [3]
Bark extracts are used in herbal medicine to treat skin parasites and fungal infections. [3]
The wood is valuable; it is very durable, red at first, becoming purplish-brown on exposure to light, with a density of 0.79 g/cm3. [4] It is resistant to termites. [3] It is valued for making drums in Africa due to its tonal resonance. [3] The wood is also favored for its use in stringed instruments (namely acoustic and electric guitars) for its tonal attributes and durability. [5]
Dust from the wood produced during wood processing can cause dermatitis in some people. [6]
Native African names include Kisese (Congo), Mbel (Cameroon), Mukula, N'gula (Zaire), and Tacula (Angola). [4]