Vitex keniensis

Botanical Description

Vitex keniensis is a fairly fast-growing deciduous tree reaching a height of around 12 - 30 metres[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. The bole, which can be unbranched for 12 - 18 metres, can be 180 - 300cm in diameter[ 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. One of the most important timber trees of eastern Kenya, where it is widely utilized for local use and export. It also has an edible fruit, but this is only eaten in times of shortage. The tree is planted in Kenya and in other African cou ntries as a timber crop, it is also sometimes grown as an ornamental[ 402 Title Contribution to an evaluation of tree species using the new CITES Listing Criteria Publication Author Website http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/species/tree_study/ Publisher UNEP-WCMC; Cambridge. Year 1999 ISBN Description A document produced by UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre in 1999. It contains fact sheets on more than 200 tree species from around the globe. , 418 Title Ecocrop Publication Author Website http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available. ]. Vitex keniensis has a small native range in Kenya, where it is heavily exploited for its timber. Although it is grown in plantations, and wild populations are meant to be protected, they are still in danger of being overexploited. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[ 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. ].