Aucoumea klaineana

Botanical Description

Okoumé is an evergreen tree usually growing 35 - 40 metres tall but with trees up to 60 metres reported. The cylindrical bole is often distorted and bent, it can be unbranched for up to 21 metres and up to 2 metres in diameter with buttresses up to 3 metres high[ 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. , 332 Title The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa. Publication Author Burkil. H. M. Publisher Royal Botanic Gardens; Kew. Year 1985 - 2004 ISBN Description Brief descriptions and details of the uses of over 4,000 plants. A superb, if terse, resource, it is also available electronically on the Web - see http://www.aluka.org/ ]. This species is the most important timber tree in Gabon, from where it is exported in quantity. Usually gathered from the wild, some plantations have been established, mainly within the plants native range[ 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 gum resin is also sometimes exported[ 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 tree occurs abundantly in an area covering west and central Gabon, and also in small areas of neighbouring countries. Repeated felling has led to the deterioration of the gene pool in certain areas, and there is some concern as to the long-term status of the species. The plant is classified as 'Vulnerable' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2011)[ 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. ].