Maytenus undata (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

← Maytenus senegalensis

Bekele-Tesemma, Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia, 2007 Maytenus undata (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

Melia azedarach →

Maytenus undata Celastraceae Indigenous

Common names

• Amargna: Geram atat
• Oromugna: Chucho, Ilka, Kombolcha
• Somaligna: Degemut, Sarad, Tseligniya
• Tigrigna: Tselimo

Ecology

A shrub that occurs in forests, forest margins, woodlands and stony areas of Tigray, Gonder, Gojam, Wolega, Shoa, Harerge, Arsi, Bale, Kefa, Gamo Gofa, and Sidamo regions. Performs well in Dry and Moist Kolla and Weyna Dega as well as Moist and Wet Dega agroclimatic zones, 1,400–3,100 m.

Uses

Firewood, timber (local construction), farm tools, medicine (roots), live fence, ornamental.

Description

Usually a spineless shrub 2–3 m, but may be a well-branched tree to 10 m.

• BARK: Grey-brown, smooth, finely grooved. The branches have no hairs or spines.
• LEAVES: Thinly leathery and shiny, oval to circular, 3–13 cm long, the edge toothed, narrowing to a short stalk. Alternate, rarely grouped together.
• FLOWERS: Yellow-green in small heads of 2–10 flowers, only 1 cm long.
• FRUIT: Small red capsules, in 3 parts. Shiny orange-brown seeds half covered by a thin aril, orange and soft.

Propagation

Seedlings, cuttings. Seed Treatment: Not necessary.

Management

Reduce multiple stems. Removing lower branches can help in developing good stems.

Remarks

The wood is red and heavy. The species grows easily from seed or cuttings and makes a good evergreen hedge.