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Pterocarpus soyauxii

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(Redirected from African Padauk) Species of legume

Pterocarpus soyauxii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Pterocarpus
Species: P. soyauxii
Binomial name
Pterocarpus soyauxii
Taub.
A bonsai stand made from African padauk wood

Pterocarpus soyauxii, the African padauk or African coralwood, is a species of Pterocarpus in the family Fabaceae, native to central and tropical west Africa, from Nigeria east to Congo-Kinshasa and south to Angola.

It is a tree growing to 27–34 m tall, with a trunk diameter up to 1 m with flaky reddish-grey bark. The leaves are pinnate, with 11–13 leaflets. The flowers are produced in panicles. The fruit is a thorny pod 6–9 cm long, which does not split open at maturity.

Uses

The leaves are edible, and contain large amounts of vitamin C; they are eaten as a leaf vegetable.

Bark extracts are used in herbal medicine to treat skin parasites and fungal infections.

The wood is valuable; it is very durable, red at first, becoming purplish-brown on exposure to light, with a density of 0.79 g/cm. It is resistant to termites. It is valued for making drums in Africa due to its tonal resonance. The wood is also favored for its use in stringed instruments (namely acoustic and electric guitars) for its tonal attributes and durability.

Dust from the wood produced during wood processing can cause dermatitis in some people.

Native African names include Kisese (Congo), Mbel (Cameroon), Mukula, N'gula (Zaire), and Tacula (Angola).

References

  1. International Legume Database & Information Service: Pterocarpus soyauxii
  2. "Pterocarpus soyauxii". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  3. ^ World Agroforestry Centre: Pterocarpus soyauxii Archived 2009-02-13 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ CIRAD Forestry Department: Padouk (pdf file) Archived 2007-10-28 at the Wayback Machine
  5. "Tonewoods". Archived from the original on 2009-02-21. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  6. Kiec-Swierczynska, M., Krecisz, B., Swierczynska-Machura, D., Palczynski, C. (2004). Occupational allergic contact dermatitis caused by padauk wood (Pterocarpus soyauxii Taub.). Contact Dermatitis 50 (6): 384-385.
Taxon identifiers
Pterocarpus soyauxii
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