Kong-Afane, Congotali
Letestua durissima

Family: Sapotaceae

What it is like

Letestua durissima is native to Gabon and Congo Republic. It is the only recognized species in the Letestua genus of the Sapotaceae family. It is a tree growing up to 50 m tall with straight and cylindrical trunk of up to 240 cm in diameter. The trunk can be branchless for up to 40 m and its base can be buttressed. While there is no known edible part of this plant, decoction of its bark is used in the treatment of leprosy. The plant is highly valued for its very hard, very durable, and strong wood ideal for heavy construction, flooring, boat building, agricultural implements, poles, etc.

Letestua durissima is an evergreen Tree growing to 40 m (131ft) by 30 m (98ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 40

Where it is found

Primary rainforest.

West tropical Africa - Gabon, Congo.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Congo; Gabon

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 2

A bark decoction is a component of a traditional medicine against leprosy.

Leprosy: Used to treat leprosy - a chronic bacterial infection of the skin and superficial nerves (in the skin) caused by Mycobacterium leprae.

Other

Rating: 4

Other Uses The heartwood is fairly dark red-brown, turning chestnut brown with age; it is distinctly demarcated from the 5 - 9cm wide band of pale brown sapwood. The grain is usually straight, but sometimes interlocked; the texture fine to medium. The wood is very heavy; very hard; strong; resilient; stiff; very durable, it is rarely attacked by termites, but must be treated to prevent marine borer attack; the sapwood is not susceptible to Lyctus borers. Shrinkage rates are high; drying is slow, with high risks of distortion and checking; the dried wood is fairly stable. The wood is slow and difficult to saw due to the high silica content, which leads to severe blunting, and an irritating dust is produced; it should be sawn as fresh as possible and stellite-tipped sawteeth are recommended; planing is relatively easy and gives a smooth surface; pre-boring for nailing and screwing is recommended to avoid splitting, but the wood holds nails well; it glues well, when done carefully. The wood is considered suitable for heavy construction and flooring, mine props, ship and boat building, vehicle bodies, sporting goods, agricultural implements, musical instruments, precision equipment, joinery, sleepers, poles and piles, toys and novelties, and pattern making. The low saturation point makes the wood suitable for use in humid conditions such as mine work..

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

How it is grown

Not Known

Propagating it: Seed - should be sown fresh, when the germination rate will often be virtually 100% within 7 - 30 days.

Best place to grow:

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

The sawdust can have an irritant effect.

Its other names

Local names

Kong-Afane (Gabon); Congotali (Congo)

Synonyms

Letestua floribunda Lecomte Pierreodendron durissimum A.Chev.