Trichilia dregeana (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

Trichilia dregeana Meliaceae Indigenous

• Amargna: Bonga
• Gimirigna: Desh
• Kefgna: Luiya
• Oromugna: Konu, Luya, Shego

This species occurs in mid‑altitude rain forest in West Africa, and from Uganda and Ethiopia to South Africa. A large tree occurring in evergreen forest of the Moist and Wet Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones of the southwestern and western highlands of Kefa, Wolega and Ilubabor, 1,100–2,200 m.

Firewood, timber (construction, furniture), shade.

A very large evergreen tree to 30 m, with a straight trunk dividing into large branches and a rounded crown.

• BARK: Fairly thin and smooth brown with clear breathing pores (lenticels); when cut the bark edges are red and white.
• LEAVES: Compound with 4–6 pairs of leaflets plus one on a stalk, to 10 cm, each leaflet about 12 cm long, always wider towards the pointed tip, often rounded at the base. The 7–12 pairs of veins below are widely spaced with a few hairs. Leaves dry dark brown.
• FLOWERS: Few in branched sprays to 6 cm, each large flower with 5 cream‑white hairy petals over 2 cm long, the 10 hairy stamens joined in a ring around the central style.
• FRUIT: A rounded capsule to 3 cm across, pink to dull yellow‑brown and hairy, without a neck to the fruit stalk, splitting into sections when dry to set free large black seeds which are almost covered by a soft red aril.

Seedlings (sow seeds in pots), wildings.

Contained in a fruit capsule that spits open.

• Treatment: Not necessary.
• Storage: Sow immediately after collection.

Coppicing, pollarding.

The timber is susceptible to borer attack, but the pink wood is easily worked and polishes well. It has been used for carving.