Anogeissus leiocarpa

Botanical Description

African birch is an evergreen shrub or small to medium-sized tree with an open crown of gracefully drooping, pubescent branches; it can grow up to 15 metres, occasionally reaching 30 metres. The straight, slightly grooved bole usually branches from low down, it can be up to 100cm in diameter[ 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. ]. A mulltipurpose tree that is very important to the local economy. It provides an edible gum, various medicinal uses and a range of other commodities, many of which are sold in local markets. The plant is highly esteemed as a source of dye material which is much used in traditional crafts in Africa[ 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. ]. In Burkina Faso it is a highly esteemed and respected holy tree, named ‘siiga’, meaning ‘the soul’[ 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. ]. In Benin the tree is occasionally planted near villages for its dye and in Burkina Faso and Mali plantations have been planned[ 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 yields a valuable timber, known as 'kane' in the trade, and so has been widely exploited commercially[ 774 Title Trees and Shrubs of the Sahel. Their Characteristics and Uses. Publication Author von Maydell H. Publisher Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit; Germany Year 1990 ISBN 3-8236-1198-4 Description A well-researched book, usually with more than one photograph of each species and good information on the plant and its uses. ]. It is often grown for its ornamental value and in drier regions becomes an effective shade tree[ 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/ ]..