Zanthoxylum usambarense (Maundu & Tengnäs, 2005)

← Zanthoxylum gilletii

Maundu & Tengnäs, Useful trees and shrubs for Kenya, 2005 Zanthoxylum usambarense (Maundu & Tengnäs, 2005)

Ziziphus abyssinica →

Zanthoxylum usambarense (Fagara usambarensis), Rutaceae, Indigenous

• 

  trunk

• 

  branch, leaves

• 

  distribution in Kenya

COMMON NAMES

• Kamba: Muvuu, Mulasi, Muvulu
• Kikuyu: Muguchwa, Muheheti (Nyeri)
• Kipsigis: Sagawaita
• Luo: Roko
• Maasai: Oloisugi
• Meru: Mugucua
• Samburu: Loisugi

DESCRIPTION

• A much-branched shrub or tree, usually 5-8 m high, occasionally up to 14 m, often multi-stemmed and rather straggling, with a spreading crown and drooping branches.
• BARK: Greyish brown, deeply fissured branchlets with straight or slightly upcurved dark red prickles.
• LEAVES: Compound, to 24 cm long, with 5-17 leaflets; leaflets very variable, generally oval, up to 5 cm long, with translucent gland dots (seen when looked at against the sun), margin toothed, midrib and stalks dark red and thorny, very strongly aromatic when crushed, hot to taste.
• FLOWERS: Cream, small, in much-branched terminal heads 10-15 cm long.
• FRUITS: Paired, about 1 cm across, round, sharply tipped, red, breaking open to release shiny blue-black seeds.

ECOLOGY

Occurs in Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Kenya. In Kenya, found in highland zones, especially in dry forest or its remnants such as secondary bushland or bushed grassland. Found, e.g. in Nairobi (Karen), Narok (Loita), Kiambu, Kericho and Samburu, 1,400-2,500 m. Common at about 2,000 m. Agroclimatic Zones III-IV. Flowers in June and fruits in October in Narok and Kajiado.

USES

Timber (house construction), furniture, bows, medicine (bark, leaves and root), live fence, toothbrushes (twigs).

PROPAGATION

Seedlings.

SEED

• Seeds should be sown immediately.
• treatment: Not required.
• storage: Use fresh seed.

MANAGEMENT

Prune and guide branches to control growth.

REMARKS

Twigs used as toothbrushes but have a hot taste. Leaves are usually smaller and less scented than those of Z. chalybeum.

FURTHER READING

• Beentje, 1994
• Kokwaro, 1993
• Maundu et al., 1999
• Noad and Birnie, 1989.