Maytenus undata (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
From PlantUse English
| Maytenus undata (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
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.
