Stereospermum kunthianum (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007)
| Stereospermum kunthianum (Bekele-Tesemma, 2007) |
Stereospermum kunthianum Bignoniaceae Indigenous
Common names
- Agewgna: Arezana
- Agnuakgna: Chipolo
- Amargna: Arsinia, Hultabsa, Washta, Zana
- Oromugna: Botoro, Buturu, Utro
- Tigrigna: Adi‑zana, Gunki
Ecology
An attractive flowering tree distributed from Ethiopia south to South Africa and from low to high altitudes. In Ethiopia, it occurs at medium to low altitudes, frequently on rocky outcrops and hillsides, in open woodlands and at margins of evergreen forests. Does well in Moist and Wet Kolla and Weyna Dega agroclimatic zones in nearly all regions, 1,000–2,400 m.
Uses
Firewood, medicine (bark, fruit), ornamental.
Description
A deciduous tree, 5–13 m, the trunk waved or spiral, rarely straight, crown rounded.
- BARK: Grey and flaking in round patches to show paler under bark (like a gum tree).
- LEAVES: Compound, with 4 pairs of leaflets plus one on a stalk to 7 cm, each leaflet oval‑oblong, pointed to 8 cm, young leaves sometimes toothed and hairy.
- FLOWERS: Fragrant in large drooping heads on the bare tree, pink‑lilac‑dark pink, the bell‑shaped tube to 3 cm opening to 5‑petal lobes, 4 cm across, lobes marked with red lines inside, 2 long, 2 short stamens inside.
- FRUIT: Very long thin cylindrical capsules, twisted, red‑brown to 45 cm but only 1 cm across. They split to release many winged seeds 2–3 cm long and then remain many months on the tree.
Propagation
Seedlings.
Seed
Collect before the capsule splits open otherwise the seeds will be blown away. About 35,000 seed per kg.
- Treatment: Not necessary, the germination is fast, but the germination rate is often low.
- Storage: Can be stored for some months at room temperature.
Management
Fast growing, coppicing, pollarding. Produces root suckers.
Remarks
The fruit capsules, chewed with salt, are used as a cough remedy. The wood is white‑yellow.
