Pterocarpus soyauxii
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P. soyauxii
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| Pterocarpus soyauxii |
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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.[1][2]
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.[3]
Uses
The leaves are edible, and contain large amounts of vitamin C; they are eaten as a leaf vegetable.[3]
Bark extracts are used in herbal medicine to treat skin parasites and fungal infections.[3]
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/cm³.[4] It is resistant to termites.[3] It is valued for making drums in Africa due to its tonal resonance.[3] The wood is also favored for its use in stringed instruments (namely acoustic and electric guitars) for its tonal attributes and durability.[5]
Dust from the wood produced during wood processing can cause dermatitis in some people.[6]
Native African names include Kisese (Congo), Mbel (Cameroon), Mukula, N'gula (Zaire), and Tacula (Angola).[4]
References
- ↑ International Legume Database & Information Service: Pterocarpus soyauxii
- ↑ Germplasm Resources Information Network: Pterocarpus soyauxii
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 World Agroforestry Centre: Pterocarpus soyauxii
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 CIRAD Forestry Department: Padouk (pdf file)
- ↑ http://www.rogerwilliamsguitars.com/tonewood_options.htm
- ↑ 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.
