Entandrophragma cylindricum

Botanical Description

Sapele mahogany is a slow-growing, deciduous to evergreen tree with a rounded crown; it can grow 40 - 60 metres tall with occasional specimens up to 65 metres. The straight, more or less cylindrical bole can be free of branches for up to 40 metres, it is u to 200cm in diameter, with low, blunt buttresses up to 2 metres high, rarely up to 4 metres[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. , 328 Title African Flowering Plants Database Publication Author Website http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php Publisher Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques. Year 0 ISBN Description Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and is planted as a roadside tree and ornamental shade tree[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Sapele mahogany is one of the most important commercial timbers in tropical Africa, large amounts are exported each year[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The high levels of exploitation of this species has led to some concern for the genetic diversity of the tree and it has been listed as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2009)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].