Caesalpiniaceae - Flamboyant family
SA Tree 207
This tree will only grow in the well-drained soils. It also occurs on the rocky ridges of the Lebombo Mountains. It is a medium to large deciduous tree, 10-20 m, has dense density and usually occurs singly in low altitude woodland and dry forest. The bark is greyish-brown and characteristically flaking in roundish woody scales, leaving pale patches.
The habitat preference of this tree helps with identification. It is a large, prominent tree with a long, bare trunk and a huge umbrella-like canopy. The leaves are large and glossy, and black and red seeds area conspicuous when the pods burst open from April.
Links with animals - The leaves are eaten by duiker, leaves, bark and shoots by elephant and the fallen flowers are eaten by all antelope. The larvae of Charaxes butterflies feed on the tree.
Human uses - The seeds are used to make necklaces. The light red-brown timber is hard, works well and takes a fine polish, making it suitable for building, plywood, furniture, paneling ad flooring blocks, as well as for carpentry, wagons, railway sleepers and canoes. The roots are used for the treatment of eye ailments, bilharzia and pneumonia.
Gardening - This ornamental shade tree is very attractive in the garden. It prefers well-drained soils, is fairly drought-resistant once established, but is sensitive to frost. It is a slow grower, and can be grown from seed.
Leaves - Compound, with a pair of leaves at the tip, alternate, elliptic with a wavy margin, 4 to 6 pairs of opposite to sub-opposite leaflets; leaflets are oblong-elliptic,
23 - 90 mm x 15 - 60 mm, without hairs, shiny dark green above and much paler below. They are leathery; apex broadly tapering to rounded, sometimes slightly notched; base broadly tapering; petiolules of the leaflets twisted, petioles present. Stipules with a basal section joined which persists as a small scale when the upper section falls away. The leaves change from coppery-red when new in spring, to shiny, dark green. (Leaf: 150 - 400 mm; 7 pairs leaflets: 55 x 30 mm)
Flowers - Conspicuous red and white flowers with prominent stamens, are borne in simple sprays, or once-branched racemes; stalks joined. The bud is covered by 2 large bracteoles, which fall off before the bud opens;sepals 4, unequal; a single petal, large, clawed, expanded, red with yellow veining; stamens 7 plus 2 staminodes. They are borne on the ends of branches and stand upright amongst the drooping leaves. The flowers seldom form a striking display, as the buds do not all open at the same time, during October and November (50 mm)
Pods - Large, flat, woody, broad bean-like pods appear from January. They ripen to dark brown, with a white pith inside, between April and June, after which the pods burst open on the tree to expose conspicuous black and red seeds.
Best places to see the Pod Mahogany in Southern Africa:
The Pod Mahogany is found in the Kruger National Park in the Mixed Bushwillow Woodlands, Lebombo Mountain Bushveld & Sandveld ecozones.
 Tree species of Southern Africa >> Printable Tree List <<
South African Trees >> Printable Tree List <<
The Plant Kingdom (Plantae)
Wildlife - Fauna & Flora of Southern Africa
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