Apodytes dimidiata (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

Apodytes dimidiata Icacinaceae Indigenous

• 

  habit, leaves and fruits

• 

  leaves

• English: White pear, Pearwood
• Agewgna: Zindi
• Amargna: Cheleleqa, Donga
• Kefgna: Wondefo
• Oromugna: Chalalaqa, Oda-bada, Oda-kiyet, Oda‑seda, Qumbala, Wendebiyo
• Sidamigna: Donkiko

Distributed in most countries in East and Central Africa southwards to Mozambique and South Africa. Also on Madagascar, the Comoros and Mascarene Islands, India, tropical Asia and as far east as south-western China and the Moluccas. In Ethiopia, it is found in Podocarpus‑Olea‑Syzygium upland rain forest in Moist and Wet Kolla agroclimatic zones of nearly all regions, above 1,350 m, Moist and Wet Dega below 2,600 m and Moist and Wet Weyna Dega.

Firewood, timber (construction, doors, veneer), bee forage, ornamental.

A tall forest tree to 25 m with a thick trunk in rain forest but much smaller in drier areas; crown rounded. BARK: Smooth, grey-white, flaking in patches with age.

• LEAVES: Shiny, dark green, oval to 13 cm, tip usually rounded, edge very wavy, midrib pale and clear below, other veins not at all clear but branching irregularly. Leaves dry black.
• FLOWERS: Very small and fragrant, white, like stars, black anthers, in loose heads to 9 cm long at the end of branchlets, all over the tree.
• FRUIT: Small and flat, 8 mm, green then black when ripe with a soft red bump making it kidney-shaped; thin style remaining. One seed inside.

Seedlings, wildings.

• Treatment: Not necessary.

Two varieties, var. acutifolia and var. dimidiata, are recognized in Ethiopia. The pale wood is very hard but easy to saw and plane. It is naturally perishable but permeable for treatment with preservatives. The wood is also susceptible to borer attack.