| DESCRIPTION: It is an evergreen tree reaching 25-30 m in height, with a regular branching pattern and a clear, straight bole with branches developing high up, forming a narrow crown and resembling the spokes of a parasol or an umbrella. Leaves long, strong smelling, alternate, compound, once-pinnate, up to 1 m or more in length, with 8-14 pairs plus a terminal leaflet. USE: Wood is soft, white, odourless and not durable; used to make food containers, tea chests, veneers, plywood, beehives, utensils, musical instruments and mole traps. Leaves have useful medicinal properties. Leaf fall provides good mulch, with soil under the tree being quite fertile. The decorative tree can be grown in amenity areas. The high crown lets in sunlight, making the tree suitable for intercropping with crops such as banana, coffee or cocoa. GROWING PERIOD: Perennial. COMMON NAMES: Parasol tree. FURTHER INF: It is distributed in the highland forests into the bamboo zone. It grows in mountain forests, often in clearings and regrowth. It also occurs in rainforests, lowland forests, riverine forests and mountain grasslands. It is frequently left standing when forest is cleared for cultivation. It requires light and may be abundant at forest edges. In Uganda it grows in woodland, semi-humid and humid highland forests with Aningera, Apodytes, Cordia, Olea and Syzigium. In Kenya the species grows around Elburgon, north of Mt Elgon, west of Mt Kenya and north of the Nandi forests. It is usually found in wetter highland areas like Kakamega Forest in Kenya, often occurring in tea-growing districts. A few remnant trees can be found in the Nairobi area. It grows as far south as South Africa. |