Allophylus abyssinicus (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

← Albizia schimperiana

Bekele-Tesemma, Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia, 2007 Allophylus abyssinicus (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

Aloe vera →

Allophylus abyssinicus Sapindaceae Indigenous

Common names

• Agewgna: Entahtahi
• Amargna: Embus, Qequewe
• Gimirigna: Testes
• Kefgna: Sheho
• Oromugna: Abar, Areje, Druba, Hirkamo, Kekayi, Sarara, Seho
• Tigrigna: Ashun, Azamaro, Qamshi, Swarya
• Wolaytgna: Worafuto

Ecology

World, Africa. A tree of high montane forest (together with Juniperus, Podocarpus, Aningeria, Olea, Albizia, Croton) and in riverine forests or forest edges, often persisting after forest clearing. Occurs in Tigray, Gonder, Welo, Shoa, Arsi, Gojam, Wolega, Kefa, Sidamo, Bale, and Harerge regions of Dry, Moist and Wet Weyna Dega and Dega agroclimatic zones, 1,000–2,600 m.

Uses

Firewood, timber, farm tools, yokes (kenber in Amharic).

Description

A large forest tree to 25 m.

• BARK: Smooth grey, the mature trunk up to 1 m across, often fluted.
• LEAVES: Compound with 3 leaflets on a stalk to 12 cm, edges slightly toothed and hairs only in the vein axils below, tip pointed. The leaflets have short stalks and the big central one is up to 21 cm long.
• FLOWERS: Yellow-white in much-branched heads to 20 cm.
• FRUIT: Bunches of rounded soft red berries, about 7 mm across, very small seeds inside.

Propagation

Seedlings.

Seed

• Treatment: Not necessary.
• Storage: Can be stored for a long time if kept dry, cool and free from insects.

Management

Pollarding, coppicing.

Remarks

It may make the surroundings untidy as it continually sheds leaves and ripe fruit.