Description of Pycnanthus angolensis:
– Evergreen tree up to 40 meters tall and 1-1.5 meters wide
– Straight, cylindrical trunk with honey-colored sap turning red
– Whorled branches, leathery leaves up to 31 cm long
– Dense, rusty panicle flowers with hairy, fragrant features
– Rounded drupe fruit over 3 cm long, hairy brown turning yellow-orange
Ecology of Pycnanthus angolensis:
– Grows in moist rainforests up to 1200 meters elevation
– Thrives in sunny locations, riparian forests, and swamps
– Prefers areas with 1300-1800 mm rain annually, optimal at 2000 mm
– Many animals feed on its fruits, such as hornbills
– Occurs in secondary forests and new canopy gaps
Uses of Pycnanthus angolensis:
– Harvested for light, soft wood used in furniture and construction
– Popular for plywood post-World War II in Central Africa
– Seed oil used as fuel, soap, and candle; remnants for compost
– Tree parts used in traditional African medicine for various treatments
– Grown in plantations to shade crops like banana, coffee, and cocoa
Cultivation of Pycnanthus angolensis:
– Seeds sown in fields, seedlings grown in nurseries
– Trees reach 4 meters in 4 years, 25 meters in 20 years
– Pruned and thinned periodically in cultivated stands
– Trees cut at 30 years old, diameter of 50 cm
– Cultivated in Ghana for kombo butter and in Ivory Coast
References for Pycnanthus angolensis:
– Listed in The Plant List and Germplasm Resources Information Network
– Described in AgroForestryTree Database and Flora Zambesiaca
– Additional information in archived sources and research papers
– Studies on seed fat components, wood discoloration, and medicinal uses
– Technical fact sheets available from Forest Products Laboratory