Entada abyssinica (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

Entada abyssinica Fabaceae Indigenous

• Amargna: Kentefa, Kontir
• Oromugna: Amazaze, Ambalta, Hambalta

A small tree of woodland and wooded grassland, widespread in Africa from Sierra Leone to Eritrea and south to Angola. In Ethiopia, it is found in Dry, Moist and Wet Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones in almost all regions, 1,300–2,050 m.

Firewood, medicine (roots), shade, nitrogen fixation, live fence, fencing material (dry branches).

A deciduous tree without thorns, 3–10 m, dense, leafy, spreading crown, flat or rounded.

• BARK: Grey‑brown, rough or smooth.
• LEAVES: Compound, feathery like acacia, 4–22 pairs of pinnae on a stalk about 13 cm long, pink when young, the leaflets narrow about 1 cm, tip rounded.
• FLOWERS: Cream-white-yellow in upright spikes, long and narrow to 16 cm, sweet scented.
• FRUIT: Woody pods which are long and wide, to 39 x 8 cm, straight but wavy. The central one-seeded sections break away from the woody rim of the pod, leaving a pod skeleton on the tree. About 10 papery winged seeds are released.

Seedlings.

Germination commonly around 70 %. 3,600–4,200 seed per kg.

• Treatment: Not necessary.
• Storage: Can be stored, but best to use fresh seed.

Fast growing on good sites, pollarding, coppicing.

The tree has pale brown, occasionally pink-tinged heartwood and is moderately light and easy to work but is rarely used.