Pouteria altissima (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

← Pouteria adolfi‑friedericii

Bekele-Tesemma, Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia, 2007 Pouteria altissima (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

Premna schimperi →

Pouteria altissima (Aningeria altissima) Sapotaceae Indigenous

Common names

• Amargna: Kerero
• Oromugna: Kuraro, Kuro, Quduba
• Sidamigna: Auera, Gudubo

Ecology

Grows naturally in Moist and Wet Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones of Wolega, Ilubabor and Kefa, 1,000—1,500 m.

Uses

Firewood, timber (furniture, veneer).

Description

A tall tree to 45 m, the trunk straight to 30 m, diameter of 1–2 m at breast height, slightly buttressed at base.

• BARK: Smooth grey; when cut white latex drips slowly from the fibrous red-brown inner bark.
• LEAVES: Large and long, oval, to 13 x 7 cm, tip usually blunt and rounded, stalk 1 cm, young leaves hairy brown but mature leaves hairless (only a few on the midrib), veins yellow and clear below, raised on the upper surface; clear dots visible when the leaf is viewed against strong light with a hand lens.
• FLOWERS: Very small on stalks in fragrant cream-yellow clusters besides the leaves, buds hairy.
• FRUIT: Oval to rounded, red to 2 cm across. Inside, the shiny brown seed is up to 1.5 cm long marked with a long pale scar.

Propagation

Seedlings, wildings.

Seed

About 1,000 seed per kg.

• Treatment: Not necessary, but sow fresh seed.
• Storage: Seeds lose viability very quickly

Management

Relatively fast growing. Weeding, pruning.

Remarks

The pale pink heartwood is easy to saw and plane and takes a good polish. It is, however, not durable if used for outdoor construction.