Khaya senegalensis

Family: Meliaceae

What it is like

A tree. It grows 30 m tall. The trunk is straight and clear for 10 m. The trunk is 1 m across. The bark is brown or dark grey. The leaves have leaflets in pairs. The leaves are 20 cm long with 3-6 pairs of leaflets. The fruit are round woody capsules 5-10 cm across. They split into 4 segments. The seeds are brown and in 4 rows.

It is used as a street tree.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in areas where the rainfall is 650-1,300 mm each year distributed over 4-7 months. It grows in woodland and savannah woodland. It can be on river banks. In Queen Sirikit BG. In Townsville palmetum.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central African Republic, CAR, Chad, China, Côte d'Ivoire, East Africa, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Sahel, SE Asia, Senegal (country/location of origin), Sierra Leone, Somalia, South America, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, West Africa

How it is used for food

The young shoots and roots are used as chewing sticks.

It is only occasionally eaten in West Africa.

Edible parts

Seeds - oil - medicine, shoots, roots

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds. Seeds need to be planted fresh.

Its other names

Local names

Acajou, Acajou-du-Senegal, Bentia, Bentiene, Betenhete, Betone, Biaierre, Bissilao, Bissilon, Bussilo, Cae, Caicedrat, Djalo, Embale, Fame, Gbirou, Iacume, Kandoeng damrey, Kuntunkuri, Tagmi, Taminii, Unchomro, Utime

Synonyms

Swietenia senegalensis Desr.;