Changes

''Amphimas klaineanus'' Pierre ex Pellegr. (1912).

== Origin and geographic distribution ==

The wood saws and works well with standard equipment, and can be planed to a smooth surface, but with some dulling effect on cutting edges. The nailing and screwing properties are good, with satisfactory holding properties, but pre-boring is often needed. The gluing, staining and painting properties are satisfactory. The wood is suitable for sliced veneer and plywood production. It is moderately durable to non-durable; it is susceptible to dry-wood borer and marine borer attack, but often moderately resistant to fungal and termite attacks. The heartwood is moderately resistant to impregnation by preservatives, the sapwood is permeable.

Large deciduous tree up to 45(–50) m tall; bole straight, cylindrical, branchless for up to 25(–30) m, up to 120(–150) cm in diameter, with thick buttresses; bark surface smooth to slightly rough, finely fissured or with rectangular scales, grey to greyish brown, inner bark thick, soft, fibrous, creamy to yellowish, exuding a red exudate; crown hemispherical; young twigs densely reddish brown hairy. Leaves arranged spirally in tufts at the ends of branches, imparipinnately compound with 11–19 leaflets; stipules leafy, up to 2.5 cm long, caducous; petiole 2.5–4.5 cm long, rachis up to 30 cm long but sometimes longer, densely hairy; leaflets alternate to opposite, with thread-like stipels at base of 2–3 mm long petiolules, (3–)6–18 cm × (1.5–)2–6 cm, ovate to oblong or elliptical, rounded to shortly acuminate at apex, densely short-hairy below, pinnately veined with veins distinct below. Inflorescence a lax terminal or axillary compound raceme c. 20 cm long, strongly branched, many-flowered. Flowers bisexual or male, regular, 5-merous, fragrant; pedicel c. 1 mm long; calyx campanulate, c. 3 mm long, with short lobes, densely brown hairy; petals free, equal, c. 5 mm long, deeply 2-lobed, whitish; stamens 10, fused at base, c. 4 mm long; ovary superior, stipitate, densely to sparsely hairy, style slender, c. 3.5 mm long. Fruit a pendulous, flat, elliptical to oblong pod, 15–22 cm × 5–7 cm, with large papery wing all around, reticulately veined, golden brown, indehiscent or slowly dehiscing with 2 valves, 1(–2)-seeded. Seed kidney-shaped, 2–2.5(–3) cm long, brown.

The winged fruits of ''Amphimas ferrugineus'' are spread by wind.

''Amphimas'' comprises 2 or 3 species, and is confined to West and Central Africa. The affinity of the genus is still uncertain. It is usually classified within the ''Sophoreae'' tribe of ''Papilionaceae'', but has also been classified in ''Caesalpiniaceae'' because of its corolla which lacks the typical papilionaceous structure. ''Amphimas pterocarpoides'' differs from ''Amphimas ferrugineus'' in its almost glabrous leaflets having inconspicuous veins.

== Ecology ==

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