Terminalia brownii (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Terminalia brownii (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Terminalia brownii Combretaceae Indigenous
Common names
- English: Brown’s myrobalan
- Amargna: Abalo, Weyeba
- Gamogna: Galaldo
- Nuyergna: Bukwe
- Oromugna: Alulo, Berensa, Baresa, Birecha
- Somaligna: Alulo, Woube
- Wolaytgna: Hare, Haiyita
Ecology
This is one of the very useful trees of semiarid areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia. Probably the commonest and most widespread Terminalia in Ethiopia, found in deciduous woodland, bushland, wooded grassland and riverine vegetation. One of a very useful group of trees growing in semi‑arid areas. Often associated with Combretum and other Terminalia spp., 300–2,000 m. It does best in well‑drained soils. In Ethiopia, it does well in Dry, Moist and Wet Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones of Tigray, Gondar, Welo, Shewa, Harerge, Arsi, Bale, Sidamo, Gamo and Gofa.
Uses
Firewood, charcoal, timber (tool handles, mortars, pestles), poles, posts, medicine (leaves and bark), fodder (leafy branches), mulch, soil improvement, shade, dye.
Description
A semi‑deciduous tree, 7–13 m, densely shady, somewhat layered, foliage drooping.
- BARK: Grey, fissured, young shoots hairy.
- LEAVES: Oval, 7–10 cm, wider at the tip, pointed or notched, edge wavy, side veins clear, leaf stalk and under-leaf hairy, leaves turn red before falling.
- FLOWERS: Whitish, unpleasant smell, in spikes to 12 cm.
- FRUIT: A winged oval seed, red to purple, 5 cm, tip rounded or notched, narrowed to base.
Propagation
Seedlings, wildings.
Seed
Prolific seeder, but a low germination rate. Tree seeds more or less continuously. About 3,000 seed per kg.
- Treatment: Remove wings and soak in cold water overnight.
- Storage: Seed can be stored for very long periods if insect free.
Management
Fairly fast growing on good sites. Lopping, pollarding, coppicing.
Remarks
Terminalia timber is yellow–brown, medium hard, light and termite resistant and thus highly valued for house construction, poles, utensils and for building grain stores. In spite of its dense canopy, crops do well underneath it. A very useful tree in semi-arid areas because it is resistant to termites and drought once established.