Uapaca vanhouttei
De Wild.
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(c) Luis Silva, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Luis Silva
Description
A tree. It grows 10-20 m tall. The trunk can be 30 cm across. It can have stilt roots 5 m tall. Trees are separately male and female.
This description is brief — help expand it
Edible Uses
We do not have specific information for this species, but the fruits of many members of this genus are edible, generally sweet and juicy. The subglobose fruit is 20 - 31mm in diameter and 18 - 28mm long.
Distribution
It is a tropical plant. It grows in the rainforest. It grows up to 1,500 m above sea level.
Where It Grows
Africa, Cameroon, Central Africa, Congo DR, Congo R, Gabon, Nigeria, West Africa,
Cultivation
A dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown if fruit and seed are required.
Other Uses
We do not have a specific description for the wood of this species. However, a general description for the wood of the West African, stilt-rooted members of this genus is as follows:- The heartwood is a pale red, red-brown, or chocolate-brown; it is usually not clearly demarcated from the paler sapwood. The texture is mostly medium to coarse; the grain generally straight; there is little lustre. The heartwood ranges from moderately durable to highly so, and is moderately resistant to termite attack. Generally care is required in seasoning, best results are obtained if quartersawn, logs should be converted soon after extraction to minimize shake and checking. The wood saws with some difficulty due to a high silica content, it generally finishes well and glues satisfactorily. It is used for purposes such as light construction, boatbuilding, flooring. A good fuel and charcoal wood.
