Psydrax schimperiana (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

← Psidium guajava

Bekele-Tesemma, Useful trees and shrubs for Ethiopia, 2007 Psydrax schimperiana (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)

Rhamnus prinoides →

Psydrax schimperiana subsp. schimperiana (Canthium schimperianum) Rubiaceae Indigenous

Common names

• Amargna: Seged
• Oromugna: Galo
• Tigrigna: Tselimo, Zahak

Ecology

A shrub or a small tree that grows in Acacia or Terminalia-Combretum woodland. It is more common at the edges of semi‑humid and humid lower highland forests with trees such as Olea–Juniperus or Cordia– Podocarpus–Polyscias. Found in Moist and Wet Kolla, Weyna Dega and Dega agroclimatic zones in Tigray, Gonder, Welo, Shoa, Arsi, Bale, Sidamo, Gamo Gofa and Harerge regions, 900–2,600 m.

Uses

Firewood, farm tools, tool handles.

Description

A tall evergreen shrub or tree to 6 m.

• BARK: Dark green, rough and granular.
• LEAVES: Opposite pairs of ovate leaves, shiny above, dull below, up to 8 cm long and 4 cm across, narrowed to a blunt tip, base narrower, rounded to a short stalk, edge wavy, veins looped. Stipules triangular, between youngest leaves.
• FLOWERS: Green-white in dense fragrant clusters, 20–30, buds rounded, 4–5 petals, often bent back. Thin flower stalks about 1 cm often remain when flowers fall.
• FRUIT: Small, rounded, about 1 cm across in 2 sections, fleshy, becomes woody.

Propagation

Seedlings.

Seed

• Treatment: Macerate it to shorten germination period.
• Storage: can be stored well after drying well.

Management

Coppicing.

Remarks

It is brittle but strong when used vertically. Locally, farmers use it to construct walls to which mud is applied. Its coarse branching nature retains the mud in place.