Diospyros abyssinica (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Diospyros abyssinica (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Diospyros abyssinica Ebenaceae Indigenous
Common names
- English: Giant diospyros
- Amargna: Selechegn
- Oromugna: Lokko
- Tigrigna: Aira, Zellimo
Ecology
A widespread African forest tree found in West Africa as well as East Africa, generally in rainforest, lower montane forests, especially in drier sites and upper slopes, often in shallow soils underlain by murram. In Ethiopia, it occurs in dry evergreen woodland, humid and semi‑humid lowland woodland, semi‑humid and humid highland forests in Moist and Wet Weyna Dega, and Moist Dega agroclimatic zones in nearly all regions, 500–2,400 m.
Uses
Firewood, charcoal, timber (furniture, local construction), implements, walking sticks, tool handles, shade.
Description
A tall evergreen tree with a straight, slender trunk about 20 m but reaching 40 m in forests. It has a small mushroom-shaped crown.
- LEAVES: Shiny dark green, long oval to 16 cm, narrowing to the tip, the edge wavy, midrib clear below. The short stalk is grooved. Dry black leaves can be seen below a tree.
- FLOWERS: Small, white and fragrant in clusters beside the leaves.
- FRUIT: Round to 1.5 cm across held in a cup-shaped calyx, about 1 cm long, the tip pointed, red-yellow then black when ripe. Sometimes in dense clusters.
Propagation
Seedlings.
Seed
2,500–3,000 seed per kg.
- Treatment: Not necessary.
- Storage: Seeds store for several years. Add ash to reduce insect damage.
Management
Generally slow growing in its natural habitat. Pruning, pollarding, coppicing.
Remarks
The wood is pale, hard and tough, difficult to plane and not durable. The heartwood is darker. Though a mixed-forest species, it grows fairly fast when planted in farmland, thus quickly yielding good firewood and low-quality building poles.
