Baikiaea plurijuga, known as African teak, Mukusi, Rhodesian teak, Zambian teak or Zambesi redwood, is a species of Afrotropical tree from the legume family, the Fabaceae from southern Africa.
Baikiaea plurijuga is a medium-sized deciduous tree with pinnate leaves each with 4-5 pairs of opposed leaflets. They show pink to deep mauve flowers have yellow stamens and are clustered in large axillary racemes; it flowers from November to April. The fruit are flattened, woody pods with a hooked tip which splits explosively sending the seeds out over some distance.[2]
Habitatedit
Baikiaea plurijuga is confined to the Kalahari sands [2] and the woodland which it dominates is known as Gusu woodland. This woodland grows on the deep, aeolian and fluvial Kalahari Sands which have virtually no clay or silt. These sands provide exceptional growing conditions for deep-rooting trees, but the deficiency in clay restricts tree growth to sites holding nutrients in the form of organic matter.[3][4]
The wood of Baikiaea plurijuga forms a dense hardwood which makes it a difficult wood to work, but it is valued for its termite resistance and resistance to rot, is used for railway sleepers, in construction and for furniture making.[5] Extensive teak forests in some parts of its range (e.g. in Sesheke District, Zambia) have been over-exploited by the commercial timber industry.[3] However, Baikiaea plurijuga is not listed in the CITES Appendices.[5]
Conservationedit
Baikiaea plurijuga is classified as Near Threatened because its forests have been and considerably reduced as a result of high levels of logging over the last half century. Older, mature trees are also scarce. However, the species geographic range has only diminished by a fraction as the species has the ability to regenerate readily in modified habitats and it tolerates coppicing very well. It is legally protected in Namibia.[1]
See alsoedit
Baikiain, chemical compound isolated from and named after Baikiaea plurijuga
Referencesedit
^ abWorld Conservation Monitoring Centre (1998). "Baikiaea plurijuga". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1998: e.T33188A9758940. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.1998.RLTS.T33188A9758940.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^ abc"Baikiaea plurijuga Harms". Flora of Zimbabwe. Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-16. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
^"Ecology of Morsitans group species". Ecology and behaviour of tsetse flies. FAO. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
^ ab"Rhodesian Teak". The Wood Database. Eric Meier. Retrieved 2016-11-03.
April 09, 2024
baikiaea, plurijuga, known, african, teak, mukusi, rhodesian, teak, zambian, teak, zambesi, redwood, species, afrotropical, tree, from, legume, family, fabaceae, from, southern, africa, tree, namibiaconservation, statusnear, threatened, iucn, scientific, class. Baikiaea plurijuga known as African teak Mukusi Rhodesian teak Zambian teak or Zambesi redwood is a species of Afrotropical tree from the legume family the Fabaceae from southern Africa Baikiaea plurijugaTree in NamibiaConservation statusNear Threatened IUCN 2 3 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade RosidsOrder FabalesFamily FabaceaeGenus BaikiaeaSpecies B plurijugaBinomial nameBaikiaea plurijugaHarmsThe range of Baikiaea woodlandsBaikiaea plurijuga MHNT Contents 1 Description 2 Habitat 3 Distribution 4 Uses 5 Conservation 6 See also 7 ReferencesDescription editBaikiaea plurijuga is a medium sized deciduous tree with pinnate leaves each with 4 5 pairs of opposed leaflets They show pink to deep mauve flowers have yellow stamens and are clustered in large axillary racemes it flowers from November to April The fruit are flattened woody pods with a hooked tip which splits explosively sending the seeds out over some distance 2 Habitat editBaikiaea plurijuga is confined to the Kalahari sands 2 and the woodland which it dominates is known as Gusu woodland This woodland grows on the deep aeolian and fluvial Kalahari Sands which have virtually no clay or silt These sands provide exceptional growing conditions for deep rooting trees but the deficiency in clay restricts tree growth to sites holding nutrients in the form of organic matter 3 4 Distribution editBaikiaea plurijuga occurs in southern Angola northern Botswana northern Namibia southern Zambia and northern Zimbabwe 2 Uses editThe wood of Baikiaea plurijuga forms a dense hardwood which makes it a difficult wood to work but it is valued for its termite resistance and resistance to rot is used for railway sleepers in construction and for furniture making 5 Extensive teak forests in some parts of its range e g in Sesheke District Zambia have been over exploited by the commercial timber industry 3 However Baikiaea plurijuga is not listed in the CITES Appendices 5 Conservation editBaikiaea plurijuga is classified as Near Threatened because its forests have been and considerably reduced as a result of high levels of logging over the last half century Older mature trees are also scarce However the species geographic range has only diminished by a fraction as the species has the ability to regenerate readily in modified habitats and it tolerates coppicing very well It is legally protected in Namibia 1 See also editBaikiain chemical compound isolated from and named after Baikiaea plurijugaReferences edit a b World Conservation Monitoring Centre 1998 Baikiaea plurijuga IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 1998 e T33188A9758940 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 1998 RLTS T33188A9758940 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 a b c Baikiaea plurijuga Harms Flora of Zimbabwe Mark Hyde Bart Wursten Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave 2002 16 Retrieved 2016 11 03 a b Kalahari Sand Zambia Tourism Retrieved 2016 11 03 Ecology of Morsitans group species Ecology and behaviour of tsetse flies FAO Retrieved 2016 11 03 a b Rhodesian Teak The Wood Database Eric Meier Retrieved 2016 11 03 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Baikiaea plurijuga amp oldid 1158886231, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
