Brachystegia eurycoma is a sizable species of tree in the family Fabaceae, native to southern Nigeria and western Cameroon. It is known for its spreading, flattened crown and local uses in food and traditional medicine.
Description
- A fairly large tree reaching 35 meters (115 feet) in height and 2.5 meters (8 feet) in diameter.
- The trunk is irregular with small buttresses.
- Outer bark: Rough, brownish-grey, and peels in large flakes.
- Inner bark: Red, fibrous, darkens upon exposure, exudes yellowish or reddish gum.
- Crown: Broad and flattened with spreading, irregular branches.
- Leaves: Pinnate with 4 to 6 pairs of oblong-elliptical leaflets. Basal leaflets are smallest; terminal leaflets are largest.
- Flowers: Found in terminal panicles, petal-less, surrounded by dense brown hairs; each flower contains 10 long stamens and a long coiled pistil.
- Fruits: Flattened pods that explosively release glossy brown, disc-shaped seeds about 2 cm (0.8 in) in diameter.
Distribution and Habitat
- Endemic to: Southern Nigeria and western Cameroon (possibly Gabon).
- Grows in riverine forests and miombo woodland.
- Found at elevations up to 1,150 meters (3,800 feet).
Human Uses
- Timber: Used locally; not exported due to its hard-to-work nature and tendency to split.
- Seeds: Ground into flour known as achi, used as a thickening agent in soups and stews.
- Polysaccharides from the seeds have been studied for wound-healing potential when mixed with snail mucin.
- Gum: Used similarly to gutta-percha in traditional applications.
- Extracts from the wood possess antifungal and anti-termite properties.
See Also
- Brachystegia eurycoma – Wikispecies(https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Brachystegia_eurycoma)